Business Diplomacy Expands Ethiopia's Global Investment Partnerships, Says Foreign Ministry Official

Addis Ababa, July 24, 2026 (ENA) — Ethiopia is intensifying its business diplomacy to expand global investment partnerships and attract greater foreign direct investment (FDI), as ongoing economic reforms strengthen the country's competitiveness and improve the investment climate, a senior Foreign Ministry official said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Director General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zerihun Abebe, said Ethiopia has elevated business diplomacy to a strategic priority, aligning diplomatic engagement with the country's economic transformation agenda.

The ambassador said comprehensive financial, legal and policy reforms have created a more attractive investment environment by improving the ease of doing business and addressing longstanding structural constraints that had limited Ethiopia's ability to fully utilize its strategic geographic location and vast economic potential.

According to him, improvements in the legal, regulatory and financial frameworks demonstrate Ethiopia's commitment to building a transparent, predictable and mutually beneficial investment environment for both domestic and foreign investors.

"By making it known to the world that Ethiopia is open for business, together with improvements in the legal framework and economic reforms, we have created a foundation for investors from different countries to invest in Ethiopia in a way that benefits both Ethiopia and the investors," Ambassador Zerihun said.

He explained that business diplomacy has become one of the Ministry's core priorities, with diplomatic missions increasingly focused on promoting Ethiopia's investment opportunities, attracting foreign direct investment, expanding export markets, promoting tourism, facilitating investor engagement and supporting investment projects from their inception through implementation.

Ambassador Zerihun noted that Ethiopia is also diversifying the sources of foreign investment by attracting investors from across Africa, the Gulf region and emerging Asian economies, reducing reliance on traditional investment partners.

He said growing investment interest from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Vietnam, alongside increasing intra-African investment, demonstrates the positive impact of Ethiopia's ongoing economic reform agenda.

As evidence of this progress, the ambassador cited the continued expansion of investments by Nigeria's Dangote Group, the entry of Kenyan companies following the liberalization of Ethiopia's telecommunications sector, and the establishment of a Vietnamese solar panel manufacturing project that is already generating foreign exchange earnings.

He added that the Bishoftu International Airport project has attracted considerable international investor interest, while investment opportunities continue to expand in renewable energy, natural gas, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and manufacturing.

According to Ambassador Zerihun, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia is also encouraging domestic companies to invest abroad as part of broader efforts to generate foreign exchange earnings, strengthen the country's global business presence and deepen international economic partnerships.

The ambassador further noted that tourism infrastructure developed under the Prime Minister's "Dine for the Nation" initiative, together with reforms in the coffee sector, is enhancing Ethiopia's appeal as both a leading tourism destination and an attractive investment hub.