Ethiopia: New Chapter Unfolds After Premier’s Historic Hanoi Visit

– Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed(PhD) and First Lady Zinash Tayachew have paid historic official visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, marking the first such visit by an Ethiopian head of government since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1976.

The four-day engagement, at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse, signals a significant step towards deepening diplomatic, economic, and green growth cooperation between the two nations after a seven-year hiatus in high-level delegation exchanges.

Prime Minister Abiy’s itinerary included participation in the 2025 P4G Vietnam Summit, a prominent global forum focused on sustainable development and climate-resilient economic growth. His presence underscored Ethiopia’s commitment to international partnerships for green transformation.

A key aspect of the visit was a tour of Toyo Solar, a Japanese company with a significant export-oriented solar panel manufacturing base in Vietnam and recently established operations in Ethiopia’s Hawassa Industrial Park. Prime Minister Abiy encouraged the company to consider expanding its investments in Ethiopia beyond solar panel production to potentially include establishing an energy plant, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The visit holds particular significance as Ethiopia recognized Vietnam as a market economy in 2014, and both nations share characteristics as developing countries with large, dynamic youth populations and a commitment to economic growth rooted in a history of resilience. While bilateral trade has remained modest at 10-15 million USD over the past four years, the visit aims to unlock greater economic and strategic collaboration. Notably, Vietnamese enterprise MK Group holds a 60% stake in a joint smart card venture in Ethiopia, spearheading cooperation in digital security, including cybersecurity and information protection aligned with Ethiopia’s national defense priorities.

Prime Minister Abiy has previously expressed Ethiopia’s keen interest in learning from Vietnam’s impressive development model, particularly in industrialization, manufacturing, and digital innovation. This visit is widely seen as a crucial step in translating these shared aspirations into concrete partnerships.

During discussions, Prime Minister Abiy expressed his sincere gratitude to his Vietnamese counterpart for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He noted on his social media channels that their engaging and in-depth discussions reflected a shared commitment to mutual growth and cooperation, paving the way for strengthened political, diplomatic, and economic ties. Prime Minister Abiy also expressed his anticipation in welcoming Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Ethiopia in the near future, highlighting the visit as an opportunity to further solidify their joint vision for deepened bilateral relations in the current global context.

Vietnamese media reported that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted an official welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Abiy and First Lady Zinash at the Presidential Palace. Following the ceremony, the two leaders visited a joint photo exhibition showcasing the people and positive relations between Ethiopia and Vietnam.

The visit occurs as both nations look forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2026. Over the past half-century, the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Ethiopia has flourished, with the Communist Party of Vietnam maintaining a strong relationship with Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party. Both countries consistently support each other at multilateral forums and international organizations.