The Ethiopia–Japan Business Forum took place on Tuesday (January 13) at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, strengthening the economic partnership between the two nations. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Japan, and the Ethiopian Investment Commission, the event brought together nearly 50 representatives from around 35 Japanese firms, alongside Ethiopian business leaders, to explore investment prospects and deliberate on ongoing economic reforms.
The forum, designed to enhance bilateral economic cooperation and showcase investment opportunities in Ethiopia, featured senior officials including Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe, Ethiopian Investment Commission Commissioner Zeleke Temesgen, and Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kunimitsu Ayano, reflecting the strong ties between the two countries.
In his opening speech, Minister Kassahun highlighted the enduring relationship between Ethiopia and Japan, grounded in a shared vision of sustainable development. He noted that the forum aims to deepen trade and investment ties, ensuring mutual benefits for both nations. The Minister emphasized Ethiopia’s ongoing economic transformation, which is generating significant opportunities for Japanese partners. He stressed the importance of diversifying trade, expanding exchanges, and engaging in emerging sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, mining, ICT, energy, mobility, and real estate. He further assured Japanese investors of the government’s commitment to supporting investments, facilitated by the favorable environment created through homegrown macroeconomic reforms.
State Minister Kunimitsu Ayano, in her remarks, reiterated Japan’s dedication to fostering trade and investment with Ethiopia. She highlighted that the Japanese government had sent a delegation of companies to explore opportunities in the country, marking the second such visit by a significant Japanese business group in a decade. She emphasized Japan’s commitment to strengthening business relations with Ethiopia and Africa at large and recognized Ethiopia’s macroeconomic reforms as creating a conducive environment for private-sector investment.
Commissioner Zeleke Temesgen highlighted Ethiopia’s strategic advantages, including a population exceeding 130 million, a rapidly growing economy, and a geographically important location, positioning the country as Africa’s gateway to a market of over 1.4 billion people. He underscored Ethiopia’s proximity to the Middle East and Europe as additional advantages for investors. Commissioner Zeleke also outlined the Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda, which encourages foreign investment across critical sectors such as banking, telecommunications, and trade, opening new avenues for Japanese and international companies.
Ambassador Dewano Kedir, Director General for Middle East, Asia, and Pacific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that the visit of the Japanese business delegation reflects a genuine interest in exploring opportunities in Ethiopia, aligned with the country’s sustainable development and industrialization goals. He emphasized the need to expand development partnerships to strengthen business-to-business relations and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing comprehensive support to Japanese enterprises.
The forum included presentations from key government institutions, such as the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Ethiopian Investment Commission, and the National Bank of Ethiopia. Discussions covered investment policies, trade regulations, and financial incentives, highlighting Ethiopia’s favorable investment climate.
In addition to Japanese companies, the forum attracted more than 100 Ethiopian businesses, as well as company representatives from India, Turkey, and the UAE. The event served as a strategic platform for translating nearly a century of diplomatic relations into concrete commercial collaborations, fostering dialogue, knowledge exchange, and networking. Participants also engaged in site visits, gaining firsthand insights into Ethiopia’s economic environment.
The forum emphasized the complementarity between Ethiopia’s untapped market potential and Japan’s technological expertise and investment capacity, creating opportunities for shared growth. By promoting trade, technology exchange, and collaborative development, the event reinforced the foundations for sustainable socioeconomic advancement, strengthened bilateral economic ties, and highlighted Ethiopia as a prime destination for Japanese and international investment.