Addis Ababa, May 13, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and French President Emmanuel Macron held substantive bilateral discussions at the National Palace in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, focusing on a broad range of issues of mutual interest, following earlier engagements during the French leader’s official visit.
The meeting comes after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received President Macron at Bole International Airport earlier in the day and accompanied him to the Science Museum, where the two leaders held a guided visit highlighting cooperation in science, innovation, and technology.
At the National Palace, the two leaders presided over the exchange of key bilateral agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation in energy and digital transformation.
Among the agreements exchanged was a €54.6 million loan agreement for the Renewable, Integrated, Sustainable Energy and Digitalization Program, designed to support Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts in expanding sustainable energy access and advancing digital infrastructure development.
The two sides also exchanged a new Framework and Roadmap for the development of a 150MW Geothermal Public-Private Partnership (PPP), marking further progress in collaboration on renewable energy investment and long-term energy security initiatives.
The discussions were described as comprehensive, covering a wide range of shared priorities between Ethiopia and France, with a focus on deepening practical cooperation and advancing ongoing development initiatives.
The engagements form part of the broader official visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Ethiopia, which continues to reinforce high-level political dialogue and sectoral cooperation between the two countries.