Addis Ababa, December 17, 2024 (FMC) – The Government of Ethiopia and the European Union, along with EU Member States represented in Addis Ababa, held their second Structured Dialogue today to advance discussions on key areas of mutual interest.
The Ethiopian delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, and included ministers and heads of relevant government institutions. The EU side was led by Sofie From-Emmesberger, Ambassador of the European Union to Ethiopia, alongside twenty-one Ambassadors and Heads of Mission in Ethiopia.
Discussions focused on three key areas: regional peace, stability, and recovery, including counter-terrorism efforts; economy, development, finance, business, and environment; as well as cooperation in the multilateral framework.
According to the Ethiopian foreign ministry, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to intensify and deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation.
This dialogue builds on the first Structured Dialogue held in December 2023 and aligns with the 2016 Joint Declaration toward an EU-Ethiopia Strategic Engagement. It is further supported by the Samoa Agreement signed on 15 November 2023 between Ethiopia and all EU Member States.
Ethiopia-EU cooperation is also underpinned by various financial and trade programs, including the EU Multi-Annual Indicative Programme for Ethiopia launched in October 2023, bilateral initiatives from EU Member States, and the “Everything But Arms” trade regime of the European Union.