This year marks a seminal milestone in the annals of Global South cooperation: the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Brazil. Since 1951, these two continental giants—one the cradle of humanity in Africa, the other a powerhouse of Latin America—have nurtured a partnership built on mutual respect, shared aspirations, and a steadfast commitment to a more equitable world order. This Diamond Jubilee is not merely a retrospective; it is a vibrant testament to a relationship dynamically evolving to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Forged through shared history, the Ethiopia-Brazil bond is characterized by profound political and cultural affinity. As founding members of the United Nations and stalwart contributors to UN peacekeeping, both nations have consistently championed multilateralism, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence. Today, Ethiopia, as the seat of the African Union and a new BRICS member, and Brazil, as one of the leading voice in BRICS and the G20, continue to collaborate on the global stage, advocating for the interests of the developing world.
A Partnership Accelerated: high-level Exchanges of Visits
This partnership, strengthened through decades of high-level exchanges of visits, traces a visionary arc from the past to the present. His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I’s historic 1960 visit, where he became the first African Head of State to address the Brazilian Congress, laid a foundational stone of mutual respect. This legacy has been powerfully reactivated in recent years through the reciprocal state visits of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Addis Ababa in February 2024 and Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed to Brazil in July 2025. These high level and historic visits transcended symbolism, translating shared values into a concrete agenda for enhanced trade, investment, and collaboration on global priorities from climate action, sustainable development to digital equity.
This renewed political will has directly catalyzed the economic pillar of the relationship. While trade in goods like Ethiopian coffee, textiles, and Brazilian machinery continues, the focus has decisively shifted to strategic complementarity. Brazil’s world-class expertise in tropical agriculture through EMBRAPA, biofuels, and aerospace (Embraer) aligns perfectly with Ethiopia’s goals for agro-industrialization, green energy, and aviation hub development.
Direct flights operated by Ethiopian Airlines to São Paulo have played a pivotal role in facilitating trade and fostering people-to-people connections. These flights have opened avenues for diversified trade and attracted Brazilian investments in the manufacturing, renewable energy, and tourism sectors. To this end, the Ethiopian Embassy in Brazil has proactively engaged with prominent corporations to promote economic interaction.
Dual Multilateral Triumphs: From WTO Accession to Institutional Commitment
The forward-looking nature of this partnership is most vividly illustrated by landmark multilateral achievements that blend diplomatic support with development cooperation and partnership.
First, in a decisive step for Ethiopia’s long-standing WTO accession process, the two nations signed a Bilateral Market Access Protocol on Trade in Goods and Services in January 2026. This is not merely a technical accord but a profound political affirmation of support, significantly advancing Ethiopia’s integration into the rules-based global trading system. Brazil’s role as a key facilitator in this process underscores a shared commitment to transparent and predictable trade governance. This collaboration extends to a mutual alignment on investment facilitation principles, with Brazil’s support for Ethiopia’s reforms reflecting the spirit of cooperation.
Second February 2026, led by ApexBrasil, turned dialogue into a Launchpad for transformative projects, signaling unprecedented market confidence and a shared vision for tangible investment. The institutionalization of this long-term commitment is embodied by the opening of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) and EMPRAPA Africa Offices in Addis Ababa. This strategic move ensures that development partnership in agriculture, water management, and health is sustained and strategically focused, moving beyond project-based assistance to programmed, knowledge-driven collaboration for the continent.
Looking Ahead: The Next Era of Shared Prosperity
As Ethiopia and Brazil commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations and friendship, they stand at a promising paths. The future lies in harnessing synergies in new frontiers: the digital economy, science and technology innovation, and green energy. Ethiopia’s remarkable economic reform, demographic dividend, and strategic position as a gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) meet Brazil’s advanced agri-tech, industrial experience, and diplomatic heft.
The cultural potential of the two countries could play a role in strengthening the existing bilateral ties, people-to-people relations, and understanding to the next level of relations. The current moment presents a valuable opportunity to explore the potential of transitioning from a long-standing friendship to a relationship that is focused on the future and that could benefit both nations and contribute to the broader Global South.
The spirit of this Diamond Jubilee is one of renewed promise. It is about building on a historic foundation of solidarity to construct a partnership that is fit for the future—one that delivers mutual prosperity and stands as a compelling, enduring model of South-South cooperation. It is a partnership where diplomatic friendship translates into tangible development gains, where shared voices shape global agendas, and where the bond between Addis Ababa and Brasília continues to inspire across continents.
Here’s to the past 75 years of friendship and to the future of a dynamic, innovative, and unwavering partnership between Ethiopia and Brazil.
H.E. Leulseged Tadese Abebe
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Brazil
Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
