BRICS: China and Ethiopia strengthen economic partnership

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed met in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, with the priority of deepening trade and industrial cooperation between the two countries.

At the heart of the discussions was the relaunch of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad, considered an emblematic project of the “Belt and Road” initiative. This rail corridor, already operational, plays a strategic role in regional trade, linking Ethiopia to Djibouti’s only seaport.

Beijing has pledged to support Ethiopia in its economic development, notably by stepping up investment in infrastructure, green technologies, new energy vehicles and artificial intelligence. China also plans to expand its support in the tourism, education and e-commerce sectors.

This bilateral meeting is part of a broader strengthening of Sino-African relations. The Chinese Premier recalled the recent announcement of trade measures in favor of 53 African countries, including tariff exemption on 100% of customs lines. Ethiopia is among the countries that stand to benefit directly from this opening-up.

Li Qiang stressed the importance of making Sino-Ethiopian relations a model of South-South cooperation. For his part, Abiy Ahmed praised Beijing’s constant support for Ethiopia’s development, calling for intensified exchanges in key sectors such as mining, communications and digital infrastructure.

source: africanews