Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a warm welcome in Ethiopia, where he arrived on his maiden bilateral visit during the ongoing four-day, three-nation tour that includes a visit to Oman next.
In a unique gesture, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali, drove PM Modi to the hotel, before which he also took a special initiative to take him to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
Thanking his Ethiopian counterpart for an “unforgettable welcome”, PM Modi on Tuesday elevated India and Ethiopia’s historical ties to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’, saying the move heralds a new era of greater cooperation between the two Global South partners in clean energy, digital public infrastructure, and food and health security.
As part of the ‘Strategic Partnership’, the two sides also announced debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
“We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties,” Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
Post a special welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, PM Modi was conferred Ethiopia’s highest award – The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Also Read: PM Modi becomes first global leader to get Ethiopia’s top honour
Reflecting on the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations that are rooted in shared history and a promising future, Modi and his Ethiopian counterpart also discussed cooperation in the fields of mining, critical minerals, trade and investment, innovation and technology, education and capacity building, and defence cooperation.
Announcing the doubling of student scholarships for Ethiopian students in India, PM Modi said both the countries must continue to contribute towards building an inclusive world.
“Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India,” he added.
Having shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years, PM Modi said India and Ethiopia are both rich in “languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity” as well as being democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity.
“We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder,” he said.
Thanking Ethiopia for its solidarity in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and for strengthening the global fight against terrorism, the PM also underscored the significance that the “support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds”.
The two leaders also called for greater cooperation on issues such as climate change, renewable energy and disaster risk reduction and in this context, welcomed the role of international organisations such as the International Big Cat Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Global Biofuel Alliance and International Solar Alliance.
Saying the African Union’s headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy, PM Modi added that he looked forward to working with Ethiopia as BRICS partners under its presidency and for the proposed India-Africa Forum Summit.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed exchange of three MoUs in the fields of: UN Peacekeeping Operations Training; Mutual Administrative Assistance in the Customs Matters; and establishment of Data Centre at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
On his part, Prime Minister Abiy said his country appreciates India’s “consistent message that Africa’s priorities must lead the partnership”.
“These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr. Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends,” Abiy said, and added that their partnership aligned fully with Ethiopia’s development plan, which is to centre on “African-owned, African-led, and African-defined”.
“Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew by 9.2 pc, and this year, we are expecting 10.3 pc GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI,” he said.
“We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision,” he added.
PM Modi also visited the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Abiy, who informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
“Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come,” PM Modi said.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM also accepted PM Modi’s invitation to visit India.
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