PM Abiy’s European Tour:  A Strategic Diplomatic Endeavor 

Addis Ababa, May 31, 2025 (ENA) -- For the past seven years, Ethiopia has been committed to strengthening its bilateral and multilateral ties with the global community. This reform-oriented period has seen a marked rise in Ethiopia’s engagement with international partners, underpinned by a renewed focus on economic transformation and a proactive foreign policy.

As part of this overarching national strategy for foreign relations and cooperation, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently led a high-level Ethiopian delegation on working visits to France, the Vatican, and Italy, with the goal of bolstering Ethiopia’s ties with these countries.

During his trip to France, PM Abiy and his delegation were warmly welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace for discussions focused on the progress made in executing the agreements signed during President Macron's visit to Ethiopia in December 2024. While the two countries have long enjoyed strong ties and cooperation in areas such as defense and security, cultural preservation, and education, their discussions further explored opportunities to enhance economic collaboration.

The exchanges between Ethiopia and France since 2019 can be characterized as exceptional, as they have greatly enhanced their bilateral relations. In recent years, both nations have engaged in high-level visits, established strategic agreements, and initiated collaborations across multiple sectors.

 

In October 2018, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed traveled to France, where he held discussions that laid the groundwork for future agreements in defense and cultural cooperation. In March 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron made his first official visit to Ethiopia, during which he and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed several cooperation agreements.

In February 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited France again, focusing on enhancing trade and investment ties. Discussions also addressed Ethiopia’s aspiration for secure and lasting sea access, as well as the importance of regional stability. In December 2024, President Macron returned to Ethiopia, reaffirming France’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s economic reforms and debt restructuring efforts. During this visit, President Macron expressed full support for Ethiopia’s debt restructuring initiatives, emphasizing the urgency of a swift resolution to promote economic stability and growth.

This latest meeting and discussion held between the two leaders centered on progress made in the process of implementing the agreements signed during President Macron's visit. Their conversations also delved into potential avenues for strengthening economic cooperation.

In general, the relationship between France and Ethiopia over the past seven years has evolved into a multifaceted and robust partnership, strengthened by the active engagement of both leaders. This partnership is essential for enhancing the trade and investment cooperation between the two nations, which Ethiopia prioritizes to reinforce its foreign direct investment, a crucial element for its economic growth. This strong relationship also plays a vital role not only in deepening the economic and political bonds of the two countries but also in establishing a favorable environment for collaboration on global platforms, which Ethiopia is keen to pursue in order to achieve its national interests based on the principle of mutual benefits.

During his visit to Paris, Prime Minister Abiy, accompanied by his delegation, explored various industries. The focus of these tours in Paris was primarily on technology and Artificial Intelligence. He made a stop at Station F—a private-sector business incubator for tech startups and the largest startup facility in the world. Ethiopia is actively working to build a robust startup ecosystem aimed at fostering innovation, which is essential for the manufacturing sector. The "Digital Ethiopia 2025" strategy exemplifies the government's commitment in this area.

 

Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy has been helping the country to create an enabling environment for startups, particularly in fintech, agritech, and e-commerce. Other vital measures have also been taken by the government to create supportive legal and institutional structures for startups, tackling significant issues such as limited access to finance and regulatory hurdles.

The Prime Minister also visited Nokia France headquarters in Paris, a central hub for research and development in 5G and 6G technologies, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and optical networking. The tour included a showcase of fiber sensing, power saving and tour of 5G labs, offering valuable insights for Ethiopia in the areas of innovation, infrastructure development, and cross sectoral collaboration. He also visited Thales Research & Technology (TRT) France, a multidisciplinary research center of the Thales Group, serving as a cornerstone for the company’s global research efforts, with a focus on advanced fields such as aerospace, defense, and artificial intelligence.

These visits underscore the importance of international engagement and knowledge exchange in accelerating Ethiopia’s digital transformation and positioning the country as a future hub for innovation and technology in Africa.

Preservation of historical heritages was another component of Abiy’s visit in France. In this regard, he visited the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, highlighting the profound value of cultural heritage and the global importance of its preservation. The successful restoration of Notre-Dame following the 2019 fire stands as a testament to France’s commitment to safeguarding its historical landmarks for future generations.

This visit offers important lessons for Ethiopia. As a nation endowed with unparalleled historical and cultural treasures—from the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela to the castles of Gondar and the royal palace of Aba Jiffar—there is immense potential in prioritizing the restoration and conservation of its heritage. This has been a key focus area for the Prime Minister under the tourism pillar of Ethiopia’s economic reform agenda.

Italy was another European destination for Prime Minister Abiy and his delegation. Upon arriving in Italy, the premier's first meeting was with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.  He received a warm welcome at the Vatican, where he engaged in discussions with Pope Leo regarding both bilateral and multilateral matters, including their mutual dedication to global peace. During their conversation, both parties also recognized the significance of working together to enhance access to education.

Similarly, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was received by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome for bilateral talks aimed at deepening the longstanding ties between Ethiopia and Italy. The leaders reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored new avenues for collaboration through increased investments and at the multilateral level.  

 

Since taking office, Prime Minister Abiy has engaged with successive Italian leaders to strengthen bilateral relations. In October 2022, he met with Prime Minister Meloni in Rome shortly after she assumed office, focusing on regional peace and security in the Horn of Africa and Italy’s support for Ethiopia’s development.

The two leaders have since built a strong partnership, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visiting Ethiopia in 2023 and holding further meetings in Italy and at multilateral forums abroad.

Italy remains a key partner in Ethiopia’s development, with longstanding support in industrialization and critical sectors such as health, agriculture, and cultural heritage. Italian companies and the Italian Development Cooperation continue to play active roles.

In their latest meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared vision for sustainable development and increased investments.

As part of his visit to Italy PM Abiy has also met with Pietro Salini, CEO of Webuild Group in Rome to discuss the progress of the national mega projects they have been involved in constructing.

 

With the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam nearing completion in the coming months, and the accelerated progress of the Koysha Dam, Webuild’s partnership has been instrumental in advancing Ethiopia’s national objectives. The premier’s discussion with Salini focused on current project milestones, strategies for expediting delivery, and ensuring that sustainability and innovation remain at the heart of implementation.  Prime Minister Abiy extended an invitation for Webuild to expand its investments into sectors like housing, energy, mining, and fertilizer production.  The CEO for his part expressed the company's readiness to undertake large-scale investments aligned with Ethiopia’s development priorities.

In summary, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s European tour was a strategic diplomatic undertaking. His visits to Italy, France, and the Vatican underscored Ethiopia’s ambition to forge partnerships, address its challenges, and secure global support for its development goals. This represents a significant step forward in Ethiopia’s continuous efforts to navigate the complexities of regional and international relations. The tour has been successful, demonstrating the strong commitment of the involved nations to enhance collaboration with Ethiopia across diverse sectors. By harnessing global support and best practices, Ethiopia can further advance its economic development initiatives while also promoting its cultural preservation and sustainable tourism development.