ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 16 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday began his first bilateral visit to Ethiopia, the second stop on his ongoing three-nation tour, with a rare personal welcome by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
Abiy received Modi at the Addis Ababa International Airport and drove him to his hotel, officials said. The Ethiopian leader also made an unscheduled stop at the Science Museum and Friendship Park while escorting Modi through the city.
Sources said the leaders used the informal setting to exchange views, including a discussion on Ethiopia’s coffee culture. Abiy Ahmed is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
“Prime Minister was accorded a warm and colourful welcome,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post, adding that the visit marks Modi’s maiden bilateral trip to Ethiopia.
India views Ethiopia as a strategic partner in Africa and a major voice of the Global South. Both nations are members of BRICS, and Addis Ababa is home to the African Union headquarters.
Modi is expected to hold comprehensive talks with Abiy on strengthening bilateral relations. “As partners in the Global South, the visit will be a reiteration of the shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties,” the MEA said ahead of the visit.
The prime minister will also address a joint session of Parliament, where he plans to speak on India’s democratic journey and the role of India-Ethiopia cooperation in global development. Meetings with the Indian diaspora are also scheduled during the two-day visit.
Modi arrived from Jordan, where he held talks with King Abdullah II and witnessed the signing of agreements in areas including renewable energy, water management and digital public infrastructure.
After Ethiopia, Modi will head to Oman, the final destination of his three-nation tour.
