ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made an unexpected visit to Paris on May 21, marking his first trip to France in over two years amid signs that Addis Ababa is seeking to revive strained ties with key Western partners.
Though not officially announced in advance by either government, Abiy’s arrival was confirmed by French officials who said he was expected to hold private talks with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.
The meeting, according to sources familiar with the diplomatic engagement, is aimed at resetting Franco-Ethiopian relations and exploring avenues for enhanced economic and security cooperation.
Abiy’s last visit to France came in February 2023, during a period of heightened tension with Western allies over Ethiopia’s civil conflict, particularly the war in Tigray.
Relations have since thawed slightly, following the Pretoria peace agreement in late 2022, but deep unease remains over human rights concerns and press freedoms inside Ethiopia.
The visit also comes as Ethiopia navigates significant domestic and regional challenges, including a fragile post-conflict recovery, currency instability, and renewed tensions in the Tigray and Amhara regions.
Abiy’s government has also faced international criticism over restrictions on civil liberties and delays in transitional justice mechanisms.
French officials say the meeting will likely touch on Ethiopia’s reentry into global financial markets, investment opportunities in infrastructure and agriculture, and broader regional security concerns in the Horn of Africa.
“Ethiopia remains a critical partner in East Africa,” said a French diplomat who requested anonymity.
“But there’s a need to reestablish trust and transparency, especially as Abiy’s government seeks economic lifelines from both Western and Gulf powers.”
For Abiy, the Paris visit serves multiple purposes: it signals a willingness to reengage with Europe, counters narratives of Ethiopia’s diplomatic isolation, and potentially attracts French and EU support for economic recovery measures—including progress in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysts say Abiy’s pivot toward Europe comes at a sensitive time, as Western donors recalibrate aid strategies in the region amid growing competition from China, Turkey, and the Gulf.
“Abiy is recalculating,” said Abdi Fite, a Horn of Africa policy analyst based in Brussels. “He knows he needs Western legitimacy to complement the transactional support Ethiopia gets from the East.This trip is part of that balancing act.”
As of Sunday evening, no official communique had been released by the French presidency or Ethiopian state media regarding the outcome of the meeting. However, sources say both sides are eager to reframe the relationship—one marked by years of historical military and development cooperation that has waned in the wake of Ethiopia’s internal turmoil.
Whether Abiy’s Paris visit yields tangible outcomes or serves mainly as a symbolic diplomatic reentry remains to be seen. But its surprise nature, and timing, suggests that Ethiopia is ready to talk—and Europe may be willing to listen.
