Ethiopia and Japan Call for Deeper Trade and Investment Partnership

Addis Ababa, January 13, 2026

Ethiopia and Japan reaffirmed their longstanding diplomatic partnership and underscored the need to elevate it through expanded trade and investment cooperation at the Ethio–Japan Business Forum held on January 13, 2026, at Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa.

The high-level forum, organized to enhance bilateral economic engagement and showcase Ethiopia’s investment opportunities, brought together senior government officials, Japanese business leaders, and development partners. It served as a strategic platform to translate decades of diplomatic relations into tangible commercial partnerships.

The forum brought together senior Ethiopian government officials, including the Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Dr. Kassahun Gofe; Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Japan, H.E. Ambassador Dewano Kedir of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Daba Debele; and representatives from key public institutions and the private sector. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ethiopian Investment Commission, and the Embassy of Japan in Ethiopia, the event attracted more than 40 Japanese companies. The Ethiopian Investment Commission presented a clear overview of priority investment sectors, policy reforms, and incentive frameworks aimed at facilitating foreign investment.

The program opened with the arrival of the Japanese delegation, led by Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, who was received at Bole International Airport by H.E. Ambassador Dewano Kedir of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Opening the forum, the Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Dr. Zeleke Temesgen, emphasized that Ethiopia and Japan share a relationship built on mutual respect and long-term cooperation. He noted that this partnership should now be further strengthened through trade, investment, and industrial collaboration.

Dr. Zeleke highlighted Ethiopia’s ongoing economic reforms aimed at improving the investment climate, including measures to enhance competitiveness, ease of doing business, and private-sector participation. He pointed to Ethiopia’s strategic geographic location, large and growing domestic market, and preferential access to regional and continental markets as key advantages for foreign investors. In this context, he encouraged Japanese companies to invest in Ethiopia’s priority sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, and innovation-led industries.

Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kunimitsu Ayano, echoed these remarks, noting that Ethiopia’s transition from a state-led economic model toward a private-sector-driven economy is steadily improving the country’s investment environment. She stated that the reform trajectory creates new opportunities for Japanese companies seeking long-term engagement in Africa and expressed confidence that the forum would help deepen Japan’s commercial presence in Ethiopia.

 The forum followed by coordinated presentations from the Ethiopian Investment Commission, the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Bank of Ethiopia. These sessions outlined Ethiopia’s investment, trade, and financial landscape, as well as ongoing economic reforms. The event concluded with a moderated question-and-answer session, allowing direct dialogue between policymakers and Japanese investors.

As part of the program, Japanese investors also conducted a field visit to the Bole Lemi Special Economic Zone, gaining firsthand exposure to Ethiopia’s industrial infrastructure and investment-ready facilities.

On the margins of the forum, the Managing Director of MultiLink Consulting, Samson Tsedeke, held partnership discussions with various Japanese business delegates, including representatives of the Japanese diplomatic mission in Addis Ababa. The discussions focused on potential areas of collaboration and practical support mechanisms to facilitate Japanese companies’ entry and expansion in the Ethiopian market.

Overall, the Ethio–Japan Business Forum reinforced a shared commitment to move beyond dialogue toward implementation, positioning trade and investment as central pillars of the Ethiopia–Japan relationship in the years ahead.

Samson Tsedeke(Samson@multilinkconsult.com)