Addis Ababa, November 26, 2025 (FMC) — France has expressed its readiness to broaden military cooperation with Ethiopia, with a senior French delegation in Addis Ababa underscoring plans to deepen joint work on peacekeeping, training and defense capability development.
A French military team led by General Pierre Schill, Commander of the French Land Forces, held discussions on Tuesday with Ethiopian defense officials, focusing on enhancing bilateral military ties in line with agreements previously reached between the two governments.
General Schill commended Ethiopia’s contributions to regional stability and peacekeeping, saying France is committed to further supporting Ethiopia’s role in international missions.
He noted that the Ethiopian National Defense Force’s (ENDF) participation in peacekeeping operations “is essential and should continue to be strengthened.”
He reaffirmed France’s readiness to expand cooperation in priority areas, including military equipment support, capacity-building, and specialized personnel training.
For his part, General Yimer Mekonnen, Head of the Defense Education and Training Department, emphasized the longstanding defense partnership between the two nations.
He described the ENDF as one of Africa’s strongest armies and said Ethiopia is seeking to further modernize its capabilities through cooperation with partners such as France.
“We have a long history of cooperation in the defense with France, and we aim to continue strengthening this relationship across various fields,” General Yimer said, noting Ethiopia’s focus on acquiring modern military technologies to meet evolving security challenges.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on potential areas of cooperation, while the French delegation was briefed on Ethiopia’s counterterrorism efforts and the ENDF’s peacekeeping activities at the Defense Peacekeeping Center.
General Schill is scheduled to meet Chief of the General Staff Field Marshal Berhanu Jula on Wednesday for further consultations and official engagements.