Addis Ababa, September 25, 2025 (FMC) — Russia and Ethiopia are expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, including energy, trade, technology, and agriculture, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin said.
In an article he penned, which FMC received from the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ambassador Terekhin highlighted the signing of an Action Plan to build Ethiopia’s first nuclear power plant during the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow, attended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The agreement reflects a growing high-level dialogue and marks a significant step in bilateral relations beyond traditional trade.
Trade between the two countries has also seen strong growth, with turnover in the first half of 2025 more than doubling compared to the same period last year, reaching 191.2 million USD, he said.
He pointed out that current trade volumes remain below potential, and both sides are seeking to align economic interaction with the depth of political relations.
Ethiopia’s rapidly growing economy, with 8.1% GDP growth in 2024 reaching 205 billion USD, has drawn increasing Russian business interest, Ambassador Terekhin noted.
Companies such as Kaspersky Lab and the St. Petersburg Tractor Plant are already active in the Ethiopian market, while new opportunities are being pursued in automotive engineering, chemicals, transport, ICT, agriculture, and energy, he added.
He further said that the 9th session of the Russian-Ethiopian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific, Technical Cooperation and Trade will be held before the end of the year. Co-chaired by Russia’s Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov and Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology Belete Molla, the session will focus on scaling up investment and launching joint projects in priority sectors.
In addition, Ethiopian companies are invited to participate in upcoming international events in Moscow, including the “Golden Autumn” agro-industrial exhibition (October 8–11) and “Russian Energy Week” (October 15–17), which will showcase advanced technologies and facilitate engagement with industry leaders, he said.
Amid the changing global economic landscape, he underscored the importance of independent trade and payment systems, highlighting progress within BRICS in promoting national currency settlements and alternative financial instruments.
These measures are expected to protect bilateral trade from politically motivated pressure and enhance business activity with Ethiopia, it has been mentioned.
He concluded that the expansion of Russia–Ethiopia cooperation across multiple sectors builds on historic friendship and shared aspirations for a more equitable global order.
It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is attending the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow, which opened on September 25 with the participation of leaders, ministers, business executives, and experts from more than 100 countries.