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State visit to Ethiopia

Topic: Report

27 January 2019

From 27 to 30 January, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a state visit to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Steinmeier will held political talks in Addis Ababa with President Sahle-Work Zewde and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. While in Addis Ababa, the Federal President also met with civil society representatives and prominent Ethiopians advocating political change. Moreover, he visited the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela and, at the end of his visit, met with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in talks with Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, in the National palace on the occasion of his official visit to Ethiopia

From 27 to 30 January, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a state visit to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is an important partner for Germany in East Africa and the country where the African Union (AU) is headquartered.

In the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the Federal President held political talks with President Sahle-Work Zewde and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The Federal President also met with civil society representatives and prominent Ethiopians advocating political change, from whom heard about current developments in the country, which is undergoing reforms and a social opening.

In Addis Ababa, the Federal President visited a vocational training institute and met with members of the business community. In the north of the country, he visited the rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, which are a UNESCO world heritage site.

The last day of the visit was devoted to the African Union. In Addis Ababa, Federal President Steinmeier met with, among others, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat.

Overview of the programme:

Sunday, 27 January

  • Flight to Addis Ababa
  • Arrival

Monday, 28 January

  • National Palace
    Welcome with military honours by President Sahle-Work Zewde, followed by talks
    Joint press conference
  • Official residence of the Prime Minister
    Talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
  • Residence of the German Ambassador
    Meeting with prominent Ethiopians advocating political change, to discuss the state of the reform process
    Delegation hotel
    Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Volkswagen AG and the Ethiopian Investment Commission
    Thereafter
    Roundtable discussion with the economic adviser to the Prime Minister and members of the German and Ethiopian business communities
  • National Palace
    State banquet, hosted by the President of Ethiopia
    Speech given by Federal President Steinmeier

Tuesday, 29 January

  • Visit to the Federal Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institute
  • Lalibela
    Tour of the museum and three medieval rock-hewn churches
  • Addis Ababa
    Visit to the African Jazz Village

Wednesday, 30 January

  • African Union Headquarters
    Talks with Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
    Signing of the visitors' book
  • Participation in a discussion under the heading Learning to Prevent: African and European Lessons on Early Warning and Early Action, as part of the PeaceLab series.
  • Return flight to Berlin

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