Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Undertakes Working Visit to the United Arab Emirates
Ethiopian Delegation Holds High-Level Talks with Italy to Advance Strategic Economic Cooperation
NEWS IN BRIEF
Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed undertook a working visit to the United Arab Emirates last Friday (March 13). The Prime Minister met with H.H Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding partnership between Ethiopia and the UAE. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to expanding cooperation and advancing regional stability. (See article)
Prime Minister Abiy also met with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The two sides reflected on the strong ties between the peoples of the two countries in business, education and culture.
Prime Minister Abiy held a telephone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin on Monday (March 16). The two leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as issues of mutual interest.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, received a delegation from the African Union Pre-Election Assessment Mission led by Geoffrey Onyeama, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Tuesday (March 17). The Minister commended the AU for deploying a pre-election assessment mission to Ethiopia in advance of the country’s upcoming national elections, reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting and facilitating the work of the mission to ensure its effective engagement.
An Ethiopian delegation led by Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, held high-level discussions in Rome with Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Italian Republic on Wednesday (March 18). The delegation included Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Italy, Ambassador Hambisa Bonsa, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ethiopian Airlines Group. (See article)
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hadera Abera received Misako TAKAHASHI, Director-General for African Affairs of Japan, today on Tuesday (March 17) and held discussions on strengthening the longstanding relations between the two countries. He commended Japan’s continued support to Ethiopia’s development endeavors and underscored the importance of establishing a structured political consultation mechanism to further enhance bilateral engagement, adding that such a framework would help deepen cooperation in key sectors, including investment, trade, and peace and security.
Ambassador Hadera Abera held separate discussions on Tuesday (March 17) with Ali Akbar Rezaei, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Suliman Khalid Al-Dhayi, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Ethiopia. The discussions focused on ways of further strengthening bilateral relations. The State Minister and the Ambassadors also exchanged views on regional developments, underscoring the importance of dialogue in advancing stability and collective security across the Middle East.
Ambassador Hadera on Wednesday (March 18) signed a Host Country Agreement with CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International), which focuses on agriculture and environmental protection, for the establishment of its branch office in Ethiopia. On the same day, MoU was finalized with the MasterCard Foundation to enable joint collaboration on youth employment, innovation, and skills development programs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed a delegation from the Joint Command and Staff College (JCSC) of Kenya on Tuesday (March 17) as part of a strategic study program for senior military officers and students. Ambassador Zerihun Abebe, Director General of African Affairs, briefed the delegation on Ethiopia’s role in regional peace and security, including counter-terrorism, maritime security, the Nile and other strategic rivers. The delegation includes officers and students from Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi, and Tanzania, fostering dialogue on shared security challenges.
Djibouti
On Monday (March 16), Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, received his Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe, who conveyed a message from President Paul Kagame to President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti. During the meeting, the two ministers reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and explored opportunities to further deepen cooperation across areas of mutual interest.
Africa and the African Union
The African Union Commission convened the Sixth AU–UN High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Sustainable Development on Monday (March 16) in Addis Ababa. Building on the high-level engagement held on 10 November 2025, the Dialogue served as a strategic platform to further strengthen AU–UN engagement, cooperation, and coordination in advancing Africa’s priorities, with particular emphasis on the implementation of Agenda 2063 under its Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP).
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Undertakes Working Visit to the United Arab Emirates
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed returned to Ethiopia on Saturday (March 14) following a strategic working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
The visit underscored the growing importance of collaboration, providing an opportunity to reinforce existing ties and explore new avenues for mutual engagement.
The UAE and Ethiopia share a longstanding history of diplomatic and economic relations. The UAE has been a significant investor in Ethiopia, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, hospitality, and tourism. The recent visit enabled both countries to reaffirm their commitment to partnership and identify new areas for cooperation.
During the visit, Prime Minister Abiy held discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior officials. The talks focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation, as well as on regional and international issues of mutual concern. The Prime Minister also met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, where discussions highlighted the strong people-to-people ties in business, education, and cultural exchange.
High-level interactions have long guided Ethio-UAE relations and have gained renewed momentum since Prime Minister Abiy assumed office. In March 2018, the two countries established a Political Consultation platform to consolidate mutual trust and enhance coordination on shared development and security interests.
In August 2023, the UAE President undertook a historic visit to Ethiopia, the first by a sitting UAE President, during which more than 17 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements were signed. These agreements covered key sectors including agriculture, livestock, culture, education, sports, tourism, investment, and the avoidance of double taxation, marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations.
The discussions and commitments from the latest visit reflect shared aspirations for progress and long-term partnership. The outcomes are expected to pave the way for deeper engagement, economic growth, and collaborative development between the two countries.
Ethiopia and the UAE share a strong and growing relationship. Formal diplomatic ties began in 2004 with the opening of Ethiopia’s Consulate General in Dubai. The UAE opened its embassy in Addis Ababa in 2010, followed by Ethiopia’s embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2014, steps that have significantly contributed to strengthening ties, characterized by excellent political relations and strong fraternal bonds between the leadership of both countries.
Ethiopian Delegation Holds High-Level Talks with Italy to Advance Strategic Economic Cooperation
An Ethiopian delegation led by Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, held high-level discussions in Rome with Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Italian Republic on Wednesday (March 18). The delegation included Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Italy, Ambassador Hambisa Bonsa, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ethiopian Airlines Group.
The talks focused on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and advancing priority infrastructure projects. The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance confirmed its support for Ethiopia’s development policy program, to be co-financed with the World Bank’s budget support program, providing critical backing for the country’s ongoing macroeconomic reform agenda.
Italy also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the completion of the Koysha Hydropower Project, including efforts to close the remaining financing gap. Both parties acknowledged significant progress in refinancing and securing new funding arrangements and agreed to finalize the remaining steps within the coming months.
Discussions further explored potential collaboration on the Bishoftu International Airport project, a national flagship initiative. Minister Giorgetti commended the strong performance of Ethiopian Airlines and confirmed Italy’s readiness to finance selected components of the project through its financial institutions. Both sides agreed to initiate technical consultations involving the Ethiopian Airlines Group, alongside financial and technical advisors, to develop financing structures and modalities. Additional opportunities to mobilize support for priority development projects were also considered.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to deepen the Ethiopia-Italy partnership and advance strategic initiatives promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
On the same day, the two countries signed a landmark agreement reinforcing their strategic development partnership and supporting Ethiopia’s macroeconomic reform agenda. Minister Ahmed Shide and his Italian counterpart formalized a bilateral debt restructuring agreement under the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) process, as part of the G20 Common Framework.
During the signing ceremony, Minister Shide expressed appreciation for Italy’s constructive engagement and leadership, which were instrumental in reaching the Memorandum of Understanding in July 2025 and successfully concluding the bilateral agreement.
Minister Giorgetti on his part highlighted that the agreement aligns with Ethiopia’s macroeconomic reform priorities while contributing to Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, under which Ethiopia remains a key partner country.
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