Addis Ababa, May 21, 2026 (FMC) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia (MFA) said the country is strengthening its citizen-centered diplomatic efforts through enhanced cooperation with South Africa and Saudi Arabia aimed at improving the safety, welfare, and protection of Ethiopian nationals abroad.
Speaking at a media briefing, Spokesperson Ambassador Nebiat Getachew said recent engagements reflect Ethiopia’s broader commitment to safeguarding its citizens while deepening structured cooperation with partner countries on migration and labor-related issues.
He noted that Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos held talks with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on challenges facing Ethiopian nationals, where both sides agreed to strengthen coordination on protection mechanisms.
In a related engagement, State Minister Berhanu Tsegaye met South Africa’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Nonceba Losi. The South African side condemned recent attacks against Ethiopian citizens, confirmed ongoing investigations, and the two countries agreed to establish a joint follow-up mechanism to reinforce institutional coordination.
Ambassador Nebiat added that similar discussions were held with Saudi Arabia, focusing on strengthening the protection and welfare of Ethiopian nationals as well as expanding legal employment opportunities and improving support systems for Ethiopian workers abroad.
He said these efforts form part of Ethiopia’s citizen-centered diplomacy aimed at ensuring the safety and rights of nationals while strengthening cooperation with host countries.
In other updates, he noted that Ethiopia and the United States signed the Bilateral Structured Dialogue (BSD) Framework Agreement in Washington, D.C., establishing cooperation in economic prosperity, trade and investment, defense and security, and regional peace and stability. During the visit, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos also held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and experts at the Hudson Institute.
He further said Ethiopia marked 80 years of partnership with the United Nations through a commemorative stamp issue unveiled by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, highlighting key milestones in Ethiopia–UN relations, including peacekeeping contributions and historic global diplomatic engagement.
On multilateral affairs, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos participated in the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in India, where he emphasized coordinated multilateral diplomacy for a more equitable international system and held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Ambassador Nebiat also referenced French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Ethiopia, during which both sides agreed to expand cooperation in renewable and sustainable energy, including geothermal development.