Ethiopia Prioritizes Expanding and Deepening Sports Cooperation with China – Ministry

Addis Ababa, December 24, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia and China have expressed a shared commitment to expanding sports cooperation as a means of strengthening youth engagement, capacity building, and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

The commitment was underscored on Wednesday during a meet-and-greet event between Chinese youth diplomats and Ethiopian athletes held at the Chinese Embassy in Addis Ababa.

Speaking at the event, State Minister of Culture and Sports Mekiyu Mohammed said sports cooperation has become an increasingly important pillar of Ethiopia–China relations, contributing not only to athletic development but also to social cohesion, youth empowerment, and international engagement.

He noted that Ethiopia views sport as a strategic development tool and said the government has made notable progress in recent years through institutional reforms, infrastructure development, talent identification, and expanded grassroots4 participation.

According to the State Minister, Ethiopia has prioritized athletics, martial arts, and other emerging disciplines, where youth participation and international competitiveness are steadily growing.

Mekiyu highlighted China’s globally recognized achievements in sports development, citing its systematic approach that integrates scientific training, strong institutional frameworks, school-based programs, and elite performance pathways.

He said China’s success in disciplines such as table tennis, martial arts, and acrobatics offers valuable lessons for developing countries, including Ethiopia.

He further acknowledged China’s support through training programs, expert exchanges, and short-term capacity-building opportunities for Ethiopian coaches and athletes, particularly in martial arts and acrobatics, noting that such cooperation has helped improve technical skills and performance standards.

Looking ahead, the State Minister said Ethiopia attaches great importance to deepening sports cooperation with China in areas such as sports science, youth development, institutional capacity building, and joint training programs. He reaffirmed the Ministry of Culture and Sports’ commitment to working closely with its Chinese counterpart to elevate bilateral sports cooperation to a higher level.

For his part, Mr. Sun Mingxi, Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said China highly values its growing sports exchanges with Ethiopia and described sport as a powerful bridge for cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and national image building.

He said China has achieved major progress in competitive sports, mass fitness, sports technology, and the sports industry, while noting Ethiopia’s global reputation in long-distance running and its contribution to international athletics through world-renowned athletes.

Mr. Sun highlighted the increasing presence of Ethiopian athletes in international sporting events hosted in China, particularly marathons, as well as the growing interest of Chinese athletes in training and learning from Ethiopia’s long-distance running tradition.

He also noted the rising popularity of table tennis and Chinese martial arts among Ethiopian youth as a sign of deepening cultural exchange.

He called for stronger cooperation between the sports communities of the two countries, saying enhanced exchanges would contribute to youth development, cultural understanding, and the advancement of global sports.

At the event, it was also mentioned that the Chinese Embassy will facilitate green visa for Ethiopian athletes who travel to the Asian country to participate in various events. The decission followed a discussion between the Charge d’Affaires and the State Minister.

For their part, the athletes vow to play their role in deepening the people to-eople ties

The Ethiopian athletes also pledged to serve as ambassadors for people-to-people ties between Ethiopia and China.

The event was attended by officials from the Chinese Embassy, Ethiopian sports authorities, renowned Ethiopian athletes, and representatives from the Confucius Institute at Addis Ababa University, and formed part of broader efforts to strengthen Ethiopia–China people-to-people relations through youth and cultural engagement.