Ethio-Spain Relation
Ethiopia and Spain established diplomatic relations in 1951 and
the opening of the Spanish Embassy in Addis Ababa followed in 1962. The relationship between Ethiopia and Spain today is steadily increasing in all areas. The relationship has been
consolidated by many high-level visits. Recent visits to Spain by Ethiopian
officials have included the visits Prime Minister Meles in July 2010, State Minister Ambassador
Berhane Gebre-Christos to Madrid in June 2016 as
part of the regular political consultations between the two foreign ministries. Visits by Spanish officials have included visits by Prime
Minister Jose Zapatero in January 2010, Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, former
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in January 2008 and H.M King Felipe VI
the King of Spain visited Addis at the invitation of Prime Minister
Hailemariam Dessalegn at the sideline of the AU Summit held in January /2015
and the visit of H.E Mr. IIdefonso Castro, Secretary of state
of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain in April 2017 for political consultation.
Ethiopia regards Spain
as one of its major partners for economic cooperation; Ethiopia is a priority
partner country for Spain. Ethiopia and Spain are
partners in development and to this effect, a framework of development
cooperation was signed in 2011 that serves the basis of financial cooperation
up to 2015. Spain continued with the same framework but priorities were aligned
with GTP Two. However, trade and investment
relationships between Ethiopia and Spain are not as strong as they should be.
Ethiopia believes that this relationship could be strengthened and expanded
considerably. Indeed, it is Ethiopia's firm belief that the bilateral Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreement signed between the two countries on 17th
March 2009 should encourage significantly greater Spanish investment in
Ethiopia. Ethiopia, while continuing its own efforts to attract more investors
of Spanish origin, would also like to see the Spanish Government taking
additional measures to encourage its citizens to invest in Ethiopia. One of the
main interests of the Government of Spain in the Horn of Africa is the
stability of the sub-region to which it attaches great importance. It supports
IGAD and the African Union in capacity building. The support is a clear testimony
of Spain's interest to work with Africa and with the regional body (IGAD).
Spain, through the EU and together with other members of the international community,
is also actively involved in the fight against piracy and terrorism, elements
in which Ethiopia, of course, continues to have strong involvement and a
considerable stake; Spain has deployed naval units along the coast of Somalia
and the Gulf of Aden under the EU deployment against piracy since April 2009.
Ethiopia remains strongly convinced that Spain will continue to work with
Africa and with IGAD on issues of regional and international concern.
