Addis Ababa, September 24, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s transformation from a wheat-importing country into one of Africa’s largest wheat producers is demonstrating the continent’s capacity to strengthen its own food security, President Taye Atske-Selassie told the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Addressing the General Assembly in New York, President Taye highlighted Ethiopia’s rapid progress in wheat production, supported by the introduction and expansion of climate-resilient wheat varieties.
He presented the transformation against a backdrop of growing pressure on global food systems, where access to food has increasingly become a strategic concern and disruptions to supply chains can have consequences far beyond national borders.
“At a time where food provision has become a political battleground and the global food supply hangs precariously in the balance, we send a clear message that Africa can feed itself,” President Taye said.
Ethiopia’s experience, he noted, demonstrates the potential for African countries to harness their agricultural resources, expand domestic production and strengthen resilience against external food-supply pressures.
The transformation from importer to major producer also reflects Ethiopia’s broader emphasis on building productive capacity as a foundation for sustainable development. By expanding climate-resilient agricultural production, the country is seeking to strengthen food availability while contributing to wider economic resilience.
President Taye’s remarks place Ethiopia’s wheat gains within a broader continental context: Africa’s large agricultural potential can be translated into greater food production when supported by appropriate technologies, investment and climate-resilient approaches.
The President linked food security with Ethiopia’s wider development priorities, including renewable energy, connectivity, manufacturing and urban development, while calling for genuine and sustained regional and international cooperation to sustain and scale up these gains.
Ethiopia’s wheat transformation, therefore, was presented at the UNGA not simply as a national agricultural achievement, but as evidence of the capacity for African countries to build stronger, more resilient food systems and advance toward greater food self-reliance.