President Erdoğan's Visit to Ethiopia (2026)

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Ethiopia was an official trip to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on 17 February 2026, in response to an invitation from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The visit took place within the context of the centenary of official diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Ethiopia.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, traveling to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Historical Framework of Türkiye-Ethiopia Relations

President Erdoğan’s visit coincided with the 100th anniversary of the opening of Türkiye’s embassy in Addis Ababa. For this reason, it was emphasized that the visit carried symbolic significance for both countries.

Speaking at an event marking the century of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Berk Baran stated that President Erdoğan’s visit signified the elevation of ties that were already strong. Baran noted that Türkiye and Ethiopia maintain strategic relations across various dimensions including political, economic and social fields.

Analyst Emre Yasin Kekeç stated that Türkiye and Ethiopia have built a consistent and transparent relationship without third-party mediation in the global order, and emphasized the need to preserve and strengthen this relationship.

Expert assessments indicated that the relationship between the two countries has been shaped on the basis of mutual political understanding even during periods of diverging national interests. Ibrahim Muluşeva, president and researcher at a think tank based in Addis Ababa, noted that Türkiye understood Ethiopia’s position during the Nile River dispute and Ethiopia’s quest for sea access. This approach, it was noted, enabled direct engagement between the two nations. Muluşeva further stated that this mutual perspective strengthened dialogue-based relations and enabled Türkiye to assume a mediation role in sensitive regional issues such as the Ethiopia-Somalia dispute, culminating in the historic Ankara Declaration.

Speaking at a panel held on the occasion of the centenary, Ambassador Baran affirmed that people-to-people diplomacy is the fundamental character of relations between the two countries and highlighted that President Erdoğan’s visit marked a new level in bilateral ties.

Official Welcome and Meetings in Addis Ababa

On the morning of 17 February 2026, President Erdoğan departed from Istanbul to Addis Ababa. He was seen off at Atatürk Airport State Guesthouse by Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, AK Party Istanbul Provincial Chair Abdullah Özdemir and other officials.

A billboard on the streets of Addis Ababa, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

At Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, President Erdoğan was received by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Addis Ababa Berk Baran. It was reported that billboards along streets, intersections and bridges in the city displayed photographs of Erdoğan alongside the Turkish flag and the message “Welcome to Ethiopia”.

President Erdoğan was officially welcomed in Addis Ababa. Upon his arrival at the National Palace, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed greeted him as he stepped out of his vehicle. After both leaders took their positions on the ceremonial platform, the national anthems of the two countries were played.

Official welcome ceremony, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

President Erdoğan and Abiy Ahmed saluted the honor guard. Following the presentation of the delegations, the two leaders shook hands and posed for the press. Subsequently, President Erdoğan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed proceeded to a private meeting. Prior to the official welcome ceremony, President Erdoğan participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Adwa Victory Monument in Addis Ababa. At the ceremony, he was accompanied by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos and Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abebe.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held private and delegation-level meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the National Palace in Addis Ababa.

Signed Agreements and Understandings

Following the private and delegation-level meetings at the National Palace, a signing ceremony was held for various agreements between the two countries.

9th Session Minutes of the Türkiye-Ethiopia Joint Economic Commission on Economy, Trade and Technical Cooperation (JEC)

In the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a signing ceremony was held for various agreements between the two countries. At the ceremony, the “9th Session Minutes of the Türkiye-Ethiopia Joint Economic Commission on Economy, Trade and Technical Cooperation” was signed by Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos.

Agreements signed between Türkiye and Ethiopia, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Additionally, during the visit, Minister Bayraktar and Ethiopian Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide signed the 9th Session Minutes of the Türkiye-Ethiopia Joint Economic Commission. The minutes confirmed the goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to one billion US dollars based on principles of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.

It was also emphasized that Türkiye is among the first countries to complete Ethiopia’s accession negotiations with the World Trade Organization. Under the framework of the JEC minutes, efforts will be made to deepen existing cooperation and identify new areas of collaboration in agriculture, education, health, energy and mining, environment and urban planning, transportation, culture and tourism.

Concrete steps will be taken to improve the investment climate, enhance private sector engagement and strengthen cooperation in customs matters.

Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation

At the ceremony, the “Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation between the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye and the Ministry of Water and Energy of Ethiopia” was signed by Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa.

Under the memorandum, the two countries will develop joint projects in electricity, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Cooperation will be established regarding the production and installation of hydropower plant equipment and electric turbines.

Agreements signed between Türkiye and Ethiopia, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Public and private sector investments in energy infrastructure projects, including electricity generation, transmission and distribution, will be supported. Information and experience sharing between relevant institutions will be facilitated. Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, in a social media post regarding the energy agreement, stated: “We aim to strengthen knowledge sharing across a broad spectrum—from electricity production to grid infrastructure, from renewable energy investments to hydropower projects—and translate it into concrete initiatives.”

Regarding the JEC meeting, Bayraktar stated: “We have agreed on a comprehensive roadmap to deepen our existing cooperation—from energy and mining to education, health, transportation and agriculture, as well as environment, urban planning, culture and tourism—and to materialize new areas of partnership.”

Joint Press Conference and Statements

Statements by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Speaking at the joint press conference, President Erdoğan expressed great satisfaction at visiting Addis Ababa after an interval of 11 years. “I thank Prime Minister Ahmed and the Ethiopian authorities for the warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation,” Erdoğan said, adding that Ethiopia is not only a brotherly country to Türkiye but also an extremely important nation in Africa due to its strategic location and its political, economic and cultural weight.

Joint press conference held by President Erdoğan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Emphasizing that the opening of Türkiye’s oldest embassy in sub-Saharan Africa in Addis Ababa in 1926 established the city as the heart of Africa-Türkiye relations, Erdoğan said: “The fact that my visit coincides with the 100th anniversary of the opening of our embassy is a source of special pride for us.”

Erdoğan reported that during their discussions, he and Prime Minister Ahmed and his delegation thoroughly reviewed relations in the fields of commercial investment, energy, mining, agriculture, communications and education. He added: “We addressed how to assess potential cooperation in other areas and how to reach our target of one billion dollars in trade volume. We are pleased to be Ethiopia’s second-largest investor. The investments of more than 200 of our companies, amounting to 2.5 billion US dollars, have supported the employment of approximately 20,000 Ethiopians, which is a source of pride for us. Turkish construction firms have undertaken 15 projects valued at 2.6 billion US dollars in Ethiopia, particularly in railways, transportation, factories, tourist facilities and energy transmission lines. We hope this number will increase further.”

Erdoğan underscored the importance placed by Türkiye on developing centuries-old ties with the Ethiopian people. “Ethiopia holds an irreplaceable value in terms of Islamic culture,” Erdoğan said. “The Necasie Tomb and Mosque in the village of Necasie, known as the first Muslim settlement in Africa, are of great significance for our cultural ties. Through renovations and repairs supported by TİKA, we have not only preserved an important cultural heritage of African history but also strengthened our ancient bonds of friendship with Ethiopia. Alongside the educational activities of our Maarif Foundation, we will continue building cultural bridges between our two nations through our TİKA office. We are always beside the fine people of this sincere region on the basis of equal partnership and mutual understanding.”

Joint press conference held by President Erdoğan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Erdoğan congratulated Ahmed on Ethiopia’s political, social and economic transformation. “As the eyes of the entire world turn to the Horn of Africa and Ethiopia, the importance of Ethiopia’s longstanding state structure as a model of governance is increasingly felt,” Erdoğan said, adding: “I particularly wish to emphasize Türkiye’s stance of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity in the region. As Türkiye, we never wish for new conflicts to be added to the region’s existing tensions and suffering. We believe that regional problems must be resolved by regional countries themselves and that the Horn of Africa must not be turned into a battleground for foreign powers. I reiterate that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland benefits neither Somaliland nor the Horn of Africa. On this occasion, I again thank both parties for their attitude during the Ankara Process, which we mediated between Ethiopia and Somalia in the recent past. We see no obstacle to the Horn of Africa achieving a position of prominence through its economic opportunities as it moves toward stability. I hope this visit, whose positive outcomes we are confident of, will contribute to peace and stability in the region. As you know, Türkiye will host the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change this November. We will demonstrate our close cooperation with Ethiopia in the context of its hosting of this meeting next year.”

Erdoğan thanked Ahmed and the Ethiopian people for their warm reception and extended his greetings to the Ethiopian Muslim community for Ramadan.

Statements by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

Following the meetings with President Erdoğan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed addressed the joint press conference. Ahmed emphasized that both sides reaffirmed their mutual determination to advance partnerships serving the interests of the two countries. “Recalling that Ethiopia hosts one of the densest concentrations of Turkish investments in sub-Saharan Africa,” Ahmed called on Turkish companies to increase their investments in his country. He underscored that Ethiopia’s quest for sea access was one of the most important agenda items of President Erdoğan’s visit and expressed Ethiopia’s request for Türkiye’s support on this issue.

Joint press conference held by President Erdoğan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Ahmed noted that the delegation-level and private meetings were productive and affirmed that Türkiye recognizes Ethiopia’s strategic importance in the region. He emphasized the commitment of both countries to sustain the enduring friendship and strong cooperation that form the foundation of Ethiopia-Türkiye relations.

In a social media post regarding President Erdoğan’s official visit to Addis Ababa, Ahmed drew attention to the bilateral relationship. He stated that he held comprehensive talks with President Erdoğan, adding: “Our discussions reinforced the enduring friendship and strong cooperation that form the foundation of Ethiopia-Türkiye relations.”

Ahmed highlighted that the two sides exchanged views on areas of strategic cooperation and reaffirmed their mutual determination to advance partnerships serving each other’s interests. Ahmed also expressed his belief that Ethiopia-Türkiye relations will become even stronger in the future.

Panel on “Türkiye-Ethiopia Relations: A Century of Diplomacy, Eternal Friendship”

A panel titled “Türkiye-Ethiopia Relations: A Century of Diplomacy, Eternal Friendship” was organized by the Presidency of Communication in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. According to a written statement from the Presidency, the panel was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Addis Ababa Berk Baran, as well as academics, bureaucrats, journalists, representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations and numerous guests.

Panel on "Türkiye-Ethiopia Relations: A Century of Diplomacy, Eternal Friendship" in Ethiopia, 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Berk Baran noted that relations between Türkiye and Ethiopia are rooted in a deep historical past and drew attention to the significance of the historical ties between the two nations. Baran stated that the panel was organized to assess this strong historical legacy and to establish a more solid foundation for future cooperation, emphasizing the importance of exchanging views in this context.

Baran highlighted Ethiopia’s strategic role in the Horn of Africa, noting the region’s growing importance in terms of trade, security and regional stability. He noted that Türkiye-Ethiopia relations generate value not only at the bilateral level but also at the regional level.

A message from Burhanettin Duran, President of Türkiye’s Presidency of Communication, was read out at the panel. In his message, Duran stated that the strategic partnership between Türkiye and Ethiopia, which has deepened since President Erdoğan’s Africa outreach vision formulated in 2005, has become even more profound.

Duran noted that Türkiye’s number of embassies in Africa increased from 12 in 2005 to 44 by 2026 and emphasized that Türkiye views Türkiye-Ethiopia relations in terms of promoting peace, strengthening stability and building shared prosperity in the Horn of Africa. He also stated that Addis Ababa holds a unique position in multilateral diplomacy as the headquarters of the African Union.

The panel was moderated by Dr. Tunç Demirtaş, foreign policy researcher at the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA). Dr. Tunç Demirtaş noted that Türkiye’s opening of its first permanent embassy in sub-Saharan Africa in Addis Ababa in 1926 was no coincidence and recalled that diplomatic contacts between the two countries date back to 1896.

Dr. Ibrahim Muluşewa, Director of the Center for National and Regional Integration Studies (CeNRIS), stated that common ground and mutual understanding between the parties are necessary to establish effective cooperation mechanisms. Muluşewa noted that both countries share common characteristics: they are major regional actors in their respective regions, occupy geopolitically critical positions and possess significant military capacities.

Independent researcher Emir Yasin Kekeç drew attention to the historical depth and strategic partnership dimension of Türkiye-Ethiopia relations, stating that the relationship is shaped on the basis of mutual respect, trust and diplomatic integrity. Dr. Abdülaziz Dino Gidreta, Faculty Member at Addis Ababa University, stated that media and communication play a strategic role in the relations between the two countries.

Gidreta stated that joint media projects, academic cooperation and journalist exchange programs will contribute to this process and emphasized that combating disinformation is vital for the future of the global order and the sustainability of Türkiye-Ethiopia relations.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attends an official dinner hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in his honor. 17 February 2026 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Completion of the Visit

Following the signing ceremony and the joint press conference, President Erdoğan gifted Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed a Togg in the color “Pamukkale white”. Prime Minister Ahmed briefly drove the Togg in the courtyard of the National Palace, accompanied by President Erdoğan. President Erdoğan attended the official dinner hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the Addis Ababa International Conference Center.

After the official dinner in Addis Ababa, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan departed for Türkiye on the same day. He was seen off at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Addis Ababa Berk Baran. President Erdoğan and his delegation left Addis Ababa.

The aircraft carrying President Erdoğan landed at Ankara Esenboğa Airport at 01:39. He was met by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin.