Addis Ababa, March 10, 2026 (FMC) – Ethiopia has urged the global community to cooperate on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, emphasizing its role in supporting sustainable development, industrial growth, and reliable electricity supply for its rapidly growing population.
The appeal was made by Ethiopia’s Minister of Irrigation and Lowland Areas, Abraham Belay, who spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the Second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris, France.
The summit, hosted by the Government of the French Republic in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), brought together Heads of State, government leaders, international organizations, financial institutions, and energy experts to discuss the future of civil nuclear energy amid rising global interest in clean and sustainable power solutions.
Addressing the summit, Minister Abraham highlighted Ethiopia’s energy challenges and the strategic rationale behind its nuclear program.
“Ethiopia has taken a sovereign choice to exploit the atom for the peaceful development of our energy and for the peaceful development of our people,” he said, noting that reliable electricity is critical to meet the needs of its 130 million citizens and to sustain industrial and economic growth.
Minister Abraham explained that while Ethiopia possesses abundant energy resources, including hydropower, wind, solar, and thermal, these sources alone cannot meet future demand. “Our hydraulic power fluctuates with the climate, and we cannot rely solely on precipitation. Soon our demand will exceed supply, and our energy mix will be overrun,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed Ethiopia’s strictly peaceful nuclear program, emphasizing adherence to international norms. “Our interest is the kilowatts, not nuclear heads. We support the global framework of responsible nuclear governance under the leadership of the IAEA.”
He confirmed that Ethiopia has signed the IAEA Additional Protocol, is ratifying key nuclear security conventions, and has established an independent nuclear regulator to ensure compliance with international law and safety standards.
Abraham extended a call for international collaboration, outlining six priority areas: technology adoption, knowledge transfer, nuclear capability development, financing and investment, human capital development, public engagement, and nuclear safety and security.
He added, “We offer a stable government, a young and motivated population, and a strategic location. We understand the challenges, the financial burden, and the regulatory and security complexities. But the alternative — continued energy poverty and constrained industrialization — is unacceptable. We choose the atom, we choose peace, we choose development.”