Africa-Press – Ethiopia. November 6, 2025 3 minutes read Addis Abeba – Ethiopia and Russia have conducted high-level discussions to advance bilateral cooperation in key sectors including industry, energy, and infrastructure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos and Finance Minister Ahmed Shide met with Maxim S. Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office, and Maxim Reshetnikov, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, for talks covering a wide range of strategic and economic issues.
During the discussions, FM Gedion underscored the long-standing relations between the two countries and expressed appreciation for Russia’s continued support to Ethiopia in various areas of cooperation. He also encouraged Russian investment in agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, and mineral development, as well as joint ventures in fertilizer production, metallurgy, and energy infrastructure, including nuclear and renewable energy projects.
The ministry said the talks represent a renewed effort to elevate Ethiopia-Russia relations to a new level of strategic partnership focused on sustainable development, regional security, and mutual prosperity.
According to a report by the Russian news agency, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov stated that Russia sees opportunities to expand cooperation with Ethiopia in industry, energy, agriculture, and other sectors.
“Russia views Ethiopia as a key partner on the African continent. Russia’s foreign trade turnover with Ethiopia increased by almost 46% in 2024 compared to 2023, and tripled in January–August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024,” the Russian Economic Development Ministry quoted Reshetnikov as saying.
He added that the supply of Ethiopian coffee to the Russian market continues to grow. “Last year, grains constituted the bulk of our exports. In 2025, fertilizer shipments have accounted for the majority of bilateral trade,” he said, noting “significant opportunities for expanding cooperation in various areas—from agriculture and industry to energy, science, education, and information technology—with great prospects opening up in investment and infrastructure projects.”
During the visit, the Russian delegation, led by Oreshkin, also held meetings with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, National Bank Governor Eyob Tekalign, and other senior officials to discuss trade and economic cooperation.
Reshetnikov said Ethiopia’s delegation is expected to visit Moscow in the near future for the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission.
On 20 October 2025, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, visited Moscow for talks with Maksim Reshetnikov Gennadievich, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development and co-chair of the Ethiopian–Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation and Trade.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen the longstanding and multifaceted relations between Ethiopia and Russia. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Reshetnikov reaffirmed Russia’s full support for Ethiopia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Minister Gedion also held discussions with senior officials of Rosatom, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, and other relevant agencies to explore opportunities for deepening bilateral cooperation in the energy and technology sectors.
Ethiopia and Russia have recently formalized an action plan to advance the development of a nuclear power project in Ethiopia, as part of a broader roadmap for cooperation outlined during Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Moscow.
The agreement was exchanged on 25 September 2025 between Alexei Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, and Minister Gedion Timothewos. It defines practical steps for collaboration between Rosatom and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation to establish a nuclear power plant in Ethiopia.
During his recent visit to Moscow, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos also met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, who reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia in defense, energy, trade, and diplomacy, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Lavrov said Russia remains committed to respecting Ethiopia’s priorities in the area of military cooperation. “We spoke about the successful work of the intergovernmental working group on military-technical cooperation. It met in May. We have very good traditions in this sphere too, and we are always ready to take into account our Ethiopian friends’ interests in the area of ensuring their defense capacities,” he stated.
At the time, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Yevgeny Terekhin said Moscow is prepared to assist Addis Abeba in upgrading its Soviet-era power plants to strengthen the country’s energy sovereignty.
“Upgrading existing plants is an economically feasible and rapid way to increase electricity generation, which can complement Addis Ababa’s efforts to increase energy sovereignty,” Terekhin told TASS, noting that the issue will be discussed at the upcoming meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian–Ethiopian Commission in November.
He added that Russian companies possess “unique competencies and proven technologies” to modernize and extend the service life of energy facilities built with Soviet support, offering “flexible solutions” to boost capacity and reliability.
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