Ethiopia Completes Third Direct Livestock Export Shipment to Saudi Arabia

Addis Ababa, May 19, 2026 (FMC) – Ethiopia has exported 5,500 head of livestock to Saudi Arabia in a direct shipment conducted under Ethiopian certificates of origin, marking the third such operation of its kind.

The export was facilitated through a joint effort involving the Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti and the Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise, in collaboration with other sector institutions, and executed through an Ethiopian investor.

The shipment of 5,500 sheep was conducted under Ethiopian certification of origin and directly dispatched to Saudi Arabia as part of an ongoing formal trade arrangement.

According to the report, previous informal practices had prevented Ethiopian exporters from fully benefiting from legitimate sector revenues and had also limited competitiveness in the export market.

This latest shipment marks the third direct export operation of its kind, following two earlier consignments dispatched from the Mille Livestock Quarantine Station directly to Middle Eastern markets under Ethiopia’s designation.

The Embassy stated that it will continue efforts to curb illegal trade practices in the sector and strengthen monitoring and support for Ethiopian exporters entering the market, in coordination with relevant institutions.