The 4th bilateral Political Consultation between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Poland was held in Addis Ababa on Thursday (December 11). The consultation took place at the State Ministers’ level between Ambassador Hadera Abera, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, and his Polish counterpart, Ambassador Wojciech Zajączkowski.
The joint political consultation reviewed bilateral issues of common interest, including economic, social, and cultural cooperation, as well as multilateral, regional, and global matters that serve the shared interests of both countries.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Hadera emphasized the importance of the political consultation platform in strengthening cooperation and facilitating the exchange of ideas on a mutually beneficial agenda. He noted that Ethiopia and the Republic of Poland share a rich history and a long-standing partnership that has developed over nearly a century. He added that bilateral relations continue to grow through the exchange of high-level visits.
Regarding Ethiopia’s economic trajectory, Ambassador Hadera highlighted that Ethiopia’s economy has expanded significantly in recent years, ranking among the world’s fastest-growing economies. With the adoption of homegrown economic reforms, Ethiopia is now moving toward its goal of achieving rapid, green, and sustainable economic growth.
He further noted that the latest macroeconomic reforms being implemented will help address investors’ primary concerns, including foreign-exchange shortages and regulatory gaps. With its robust macroeconomic potential, low crime rates, large pool of young, skilled, and trainable workers, and market access to four continents, Ethiopia offers substantial opportunities for Foreign Direct Investment. Investment in agriculture, in particular, will support a growing domestic food market while also opening pathways to regional and international markets.
The State Minister called on the Republic of Poland to expand cooperation in areas such as pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, education, agriculture, mining, agro-processing, and natural resource management, as well as in air services, ICT, and water resource management.
Deputy Foreign Minister Zajączkowski commended Ethiopia’s economic progress and expressed Poland’s interest in broadening cooperation, especially in trade and investment. He also underscored Poland’s economic experience over recent decades and highlighted the value of organizing business forums to enhance engagement between the two countries.
The two sides agreed to encourage Polish companies to invest in agro-industry, manufacturing, mining, and power generation, including hydropower, wind farms, geothermal energy, natural gas, and solar energy, through direct investment and Public-Private Partnerships.
The consultation concluded with a mutual agreement to review previous bilateral agreements and to initiate additional accords based on identified opportunities for strengthened economic cooperation between the two countries.