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Azerbaijan, fresh from celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Victory Day, is turning its attention toward deeper engagement with Africa. Victory Day holds powerful significance for Azerbaijan, commemorating the restoration of its territorial integrity and the resilience of its people after years of conflict. The anniversary is not only a moment of national pride but also a symbol of renewed confidence, as the country positions itself as an active regional player and a rising economic partner beyond its immediate neighborhood.
Over the past decade, Azerbaijan has steadily expanded its diplomatic footprint in Africa, recognizing the continent’s growing economic and geopolitical importance. What began as targeted political outreach has evolved into multi-sector cooperation, investment initiatives, educational partnerships, and cultural exchanges. Today, Azerbaijan’s engagement with African countries reflects a deliberate effort to build long-term ties rooted in mutual benefit and shared development goals.
This vision came into focus at the first Ethio–Azerbaijani Business Forum, held on November 25, 2025, at Elilly Hotel in Addis Ababa. Senior officials and business leaders from both countries attended, including Ambassador Yohannes Fenta, Director General of Business Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ruslan Nasibov; Zahara Mohammed, President of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; Dawit Woubishet, President of the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association; Dr. Aynalem Abayneh of the Ethiopian Chamber system; Dr. Rena Gafarova, Founder of Africa Azerbaijan Cooperation (AFAZ); representatives of the Ethiopian Investment Commission; and members of the Ethiopian Women Trade Association.
Azerbaijani companies and Ethiopian women exporters showcased their products, bringing a strong B2B element to the program. More than a dozen Azerbaijani state companies operating in energy, logistics, agriculture, ICT, construction, and manufacturing participated, underlining the shared intent to translate longstanding diplomatic ties into concrete economic partnerships.
In his remarks, Ambassador Ruslan Nasibov described the event as a major milestone. He noted that Ethiopia and Azerbaijan, despite their geographical distance, share many parallels: ancient civilizations, rich cultural heritage, and a long tradition of safeguarding national identity with resilience and dignity. This spirit of sovereignty and self-determined development, he said, binds the two nations at a deeper level.
Ambassador Nasibov highlighted potential cooperation in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, logistics, tourism, manufacturing, ICT, and infrastructure. He called the forum a practical platform for business communities to explore opportunities and build long-term ties. Pointing to economic transformation efforts underway in both countries—Azerbaijan’s diversification and regional connectivity initiatives and Ethiopia’s homegrown economic reform and infrastructure drive—he described them as natural synergies to harness for mutual benefit. He encouraged investors to think boldly and engage confidently, calling the forum the beginning of a lasting economic bridge.
Ambassador Yohannes Fenta, speaking on behalf of the Ethiopian government, said the gathering marks a new phase in economic engagement. He highlighted Ethiopia’s growing industrial parks, affordable energy, improved logistics, and expanding digital infrastructure, emphasizing the country’s appeal as an investment destination. He also stressed Ethiopia’s readiness for deeper cooperation in manufacturing, agro-processing, ICT, tourism, renewable energy, and financial services.Zahara Mohammed of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations highlighted the importance of strengthening private-sector links and promoting structured engagement between the business communities of both countries.
Dr. Rena Gafarova of AFAZ spoke about the growing interest in Africa–Azerbaijan cooperation and the need to establish sustained channels for trade and investment.Representatives from the Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Ethiopian Women Trade Association shared insights into priority sectors, incentives, and partnership opportunities. Dawit Woubishet highlighted collaboration in logistics and freight forwarding as essential for long-term trade expansion.The program also included the signing of Memorandums of Understanding, reinforcing commitments to further engagement and laying the groundwork for future joint initiatives.Participants agreed that, while political ties between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan continue to strengthen, trade and investment links remain below potential. The forum is widely seen as a foundational milestone. With growing interest on both sides, next year’s edition is expected to be even larger, attracting more and bigger Azerbaijani companies and expanding sector participation.B2B sessions throughout the day allowed delegates to explore concrete collaboration prospects, while product displays highlighted market complementarities in agro-processing, textiles, technology, and value-added industries.
The forum closed with optimism and a shared commitment to stronger economic ties. Both governments and private-sector leaders expressed confidence that the connections forged would lead to concrete projects, expanded investments, and more dynamic trade flows in the years ahead.Azerbaijan’s growing interest in Africa, supported by its economic diversification efforts and expanding diplomatic presence, signals that this is only the beginning. With more companies expected to participate next year, both countries envision the partnership evolving into a dynamic platform for trade, investment, and long-term cooperation.
