April 17, 2025
NEWS IN BRIEF
Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, together with First Lady Zinash Tayachew and a high-level delegation, is paying a historic three-day official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from April 15 to 17, at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Among the senior officials accompanying the Prime Minister is Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos. This landmark visit marks Ethiopia’s first high-level official engagement with Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1976, heralding a new chapter of comprehensive partnership and cooperation.
The Ethiopia–Vietnam Trade and Investment Forum was held successfully in Hanoi on Tuesday (April 15), on the sidelines of Prime Minister Abiy’s official visit. The event brought together senior officials, business leaders, and key stakeholders from both countries to explore practical ways to strengthen bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation. (See article)
Prime Minister Abiy also received the torch and officially assumed the responsibility of hosting the Fifth P4G Summit in 2027 on Thursday (April 17). He embraced the opportunity with determination and a strong commitment to build on the inspiring legacy of Viet Nam, Colombia, Denmark, and the Republic of Korea.
A change occurred in the Tigray region with the appointment of Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede as the new Interim Chief Administrator on Tuesday (April 8). This transition follows the conclusion of Getachew Reda’s tenure, who served as the region’s interim leader. The handover ceremony, held in Addis Ababa, was attended by several high-ranking officials from Ethiopia and international organizations.
The National Security Council (NSC) conducted a comprehensive assessment during its meeting on Wednesday (April 9). Presided over by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the council addressed the complex national, regional, and global dynamics impacting Ethiopia and provided directions. (See article)
A high-level Ethiopian delegation, led by Ambassador Redwan Hussien, Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Services, and comprising State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hadera Abera, participated in a conference held in London on Monday (April 14). The conference focused on humanitarian aid, achieving a ceasefire, and addressing Sudan’s conflict through political means.
On Tuesday (April 15), Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, was on a working visit to Rwanda. He held discussions with General Mubarak Muganga, Rwanda’s Army Chief of Staff, on bilateral talks between the defense forces of the two nations. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the guidelines for implementing and advancing the previous MoU. During his visit, Field Marshal Birhanu also met with Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, held talks with his Belarusian counterpart, Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, on Monday (April 14). The two sides noted that the meeting between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan on October 23, 2024, was a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The 5th session of the Ethiopia-Algeria Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from April 12–13. The Ethiopian delegation was led by Gedion Timothewos, Minister of Foreign Affairs, while the Algerian side was headed by Ahmed Attaf, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs. The JMC, aimed at strengthening the historical and strategic partnership between the two nations, was preceded by discussions among senior government officials and experts. The agenda adopted for the session facilitated in-depth discussions across various sectors, including political, economic, social, and cultural issues.
The Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the African Union (AU) and the UNECA, Ambassador Hirut Zemene, reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to work closely with all elected AU officials for the effective discharge of their responsibilities on Tuesday (April 15). Ambassador Hirut stated this during the 24th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union held in Addis Ababa.
During a press briefing held on Thursday, April 17, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Nebiat Getachew, outlined the diplomatic activities carried out over the past nine months and highlighted the outcomes achieved. He also shared insights on current national, regional, and global issues.
The Ethio-Greece Business and Investment Forum was held in Athens, Greece, on Monday (April 7). The event brought together key stakeholders from the Hellenic Republic Chamber of Commerce, members of the Ethiopian and Greek business communities, and representatives from both public and private organizations. More than 70 participants attended, including higher Ethiopian officials, representatives from the Ethiopian Embassy in Rome and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both nations, and business community members from Ethiopia and Greece.
A three-day exhibition opened on Wednesday (April 16) in India with 25 Ethiopian companies showcasing their products at the Ethio-India Business Expo 2025 in New Delhi. The exhibition aims at knowledge exchange, enhancing bilateral trade and innovation, and fostering sustainable economic growth between the two nations.
The 3rd African Welding Federation Annual Assembly and International Conference kicked off on Monday (April 14) in Addis Ababa. The three-day conference, held at the Adwa Memorial Museum, is focused on the theme “Empowering Africa: Strengthening Welding Capacity for Regional Integration and Global Competitiveness.”
Ethiopian Airlines won the ‘Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier – Africa’ award at the 2025 PAX Readership Awards and the ‘Cabin Concept of the Year 2025’ award at the Onboard Hospitality Awards, with both events taking place in Hamburg, Germany, on Monday (April 14).
Djibouti
President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh received the President of the Somali Senate, Abdi Hachi Abdillahi, at the Palace of the Republic on Sunday (April 13) during a three-day official visit focused on enhancing Djibouti-Somalia relations.
During his farewell visit to Djibouti this week, State Minister for Foreign Affairs and former Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti, Berhanu Tsegaye, met with Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Foreign Minister Abdulkadir Hussein Omar, and Minister of Infrastructure and Equipment Hassan Humad Ibrahim to discuss strengthening bilateral ties.
Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, participated in the 24th Extraordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council held in Addis Ababa on Tuesday (April 15).
Somalia
At the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025) on Saturday (April 12), President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss strengthening the already close relations between Somalia and Türkiye.
Sudan
On Saturday (April 12), Sudanese leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan held bilateral talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other leaders in Antalya, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where regional and global challenges were addressed.
Africa and the African Union
Africa and the African UnionThe United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank and other agencies of the United Nations, convened the eleventh session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development at the Speke Resort and Conference Centre in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, from April 9-11. (See article)
The African Union’s Executive Council convened its 24th Extraordinary Session on Tuesday (April 15) at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The session aimed to elect and appoint one member each to the Peace and Security Council, the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL), and the African Space Council (AfSC). Additionally, the Council deliberated on the draft report concerning the election of two Commissioners: the Commissioner for Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, and Mining (ETTIM), and the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI). The meeting was attended by Ministers of Foreign Affairs and heads of delegations from AU Member States, as well as officials from AU organs and offices.
On Tuesday (April 16), African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf met with Mohamed Yeslem Beissat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Djibouti, to discuss strengthening African unity and cooperation. On Monday (April 14), he also received the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, Simeon Oyono Esono Angue; Algeria, Ahmed Attaf; and Burundi, Albert Shingiro, for discussions on regional stability, AU reforms, and continental priorities.
Note: For detailed reports, please check out the rest of this week’s news published in separate posts.