President Taye Reaffirms Stronger Ethiopia Ties as Envoys Conclude Diplomatic Missions

Addis Ababa, July 28, 2026 (FMC) — President Taye Atske Selassie today reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to further strengthening its longstanding partnerships with Finland, Norway and India as he bade farewell to the outgoing ambassadors of the three countries.

The president expressed confidence that cooperation with Finland, Norway and India will continue to expand across a broad range of sectors in the years ahead. He also wished the ambassadors success in their future diplomatic assignments and reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to deepening its relations with the three countries.

Speaking to the media after the farewell ceremony, Finland’s outgoing Ambassador Sinikka Antila described her three-year diplomatic mission in Ethiopia as a highly rewarding experience, saying it had provided her with invaluable insights while serving in Africa’s diplomatic capital.

She noted that Ethiopia and Finland have built decades of cooperation, particularly in education, rural water supply, agriculture and digital land administration.

According to the ambassador, Ethiopia’s ongoing economic reforms, modernization efforts and rapid transformation are creating new opportunities for collaboration in trade, investment, innovation, startups and technology.

Antila said Finland is keen to see stronger business partnerships, increased investment, expanded innovation and startup collaboration, as well as closer technology cooperation, highlighting the presence of Finnish companies, including Nokia and Vaisala, in Ethiopia.

Norway’s outgoing Ambassador Stian Christensen, for his part, described his four-year assignment in Ethiopia as an incredibly rewarding and memorable experience. He also expressed appreciation for the hospitality of the Ethiopian people and the cooperation extended by government institutions throughout his tenure.

Christensen underscored the strong partnership between Ethiopia and Norway, particularly in climate action, forestry and sustainable development, noting that Norway remains committed to supporting Ethiopia’s environmental ambitions.

He added that bilateral cooperation is expected to gather further momentum as Ethiopia prepares to host COP32, with both countries planning to expand collaboration on the Green Legacy Initiative, forest conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

India’s outgoing Ambassador Anil Kumar Rai also reflected positively on his two-and-a-half-year tenure, describing it as both professionally rewarding and personally memorable.

He said the warmth and friendship of the Ethiopian people made him feel at home throughout his assignment.

Referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ethiopia, Rai said many of the agreements reached during the visit have already been implemented, while others are making significant progress, as reported by local news agency ENA.

He expressed confidence that the positive momentum in bilateral relations will translate into increased Indian investment and broader economic cooperation, further reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The ambassador also noted that Ethiopia and India share common positions on many major international issues, adding that Ethiopia’s membership in BRICS has injected fresh momentum into bilateral relations and created broader opportunities for cooperation in multilateral forums.