Johannesburg (Hornpost) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed conducted an intensive round of bilateral meetings with global leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, as Ethiopia seeks to deepen international partnerships and accelerate its economic reform agenda.
According to Ethiopian officials, Prime Minister Abiy met with leaders from France, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Finland, Turkey, South Africa, and Germany, engaging in discussions that covered economic cooperation, regional stability, climate action, and investment opportunities. He also held a high-level meeting with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to review Ethiopia’s economic reforms.
Key Bilateral Engagements:
Ethiopia–Norway
Prime Minister Abiy described his meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre as constructive:
“We focused on climate action cooperation, multilateral issues of shared concern, and investment opportunities to strengthen our partnership and drive sustainable growth.”
Ethiopia–Germany
Following talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Abiy noted:
“We exchanged views on mutual priorities and expressed our shared intention to explore ways to strengthen ties.”
Ethiopia–France
Prime Minister Abiy highlighted the continued momentum in Ethiopia–France relations after meeting President Emmanuel Macron:
“Our relations continue to strengthen through ongoing engagements. We had a productive catch-up on the sidelines of the summit.”
Ethiopia–United Arab Emirates
Abiy also met Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi:
“The discussions focused on strengthening strategic partnerships and exploring new areas of collaboration.”
Ethiopia–Turkey
The Prime Minister held a wide-ranging meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan:
“We discussed economic and cultural partnerships, sustainable development, and cooperation on climate action.”
Ethiopia–South Africa
Before the summit opened, Abiy met President Cyril Ramaphosa:
“We emphasized the importance of presenting a common African voice and shared priorities as this historic G20 summit is hosted on African soil.”
Ethiopia–Finland
Abiy met with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, noting the focus on broad cooperation:
“We discussed regional issues, multilateral cooperation, and bilateral collaboration in education, climate action, and investment as Ethiopia opens its economy. The meeting reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthen ties.”
Meeting with the IMF
Prime Minister Abiy also engaged in detailed discussions with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva:
“We explored global economic trends, Ethiopia’s national reforms, and opportunities to deepen cooperation in support of sustainable and inclusive growth. I appreciate the IMF’s continued partnership.”
South Africa is hosting this year’s G20 Summit, bringing together leading global economies for discussions on trade, development, climate challenges, and global governance.
Pictures of Key Bilateral Engagements:
Prepared:
Hornpost staff Reporter
