Belarus and Ethiopia are actively working on establishing joint enterprises in Ethiopia to assemble Belarusian agricultural machinery, with the aim of serving not only the Ethiopian market but also other African countries. This is reported by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS.

This was announced by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos following his meeting with Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko in Minsk. The two countries are focusing on strengthening economic ties, investment cooperation, and the modernisation of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector using Belarusian technology.

“Currently, we are concretely discussing the creation of joint ventures in Ethiopia to assemble Belarusian agricultural equipment using Belarusian machinery and technology,” Gedion Timothewos said. “We hope that the machinery assembled locally will also be sold to other African nations.”

The Ethiopian minister praised the reputation of Belarusian machinery in Ethiopia, describing it as “very reliable, durable, and easy to operate,” with farmers giving only positive feedback. Ethiopia, as a member of the African Union headquartered in Addis Ababa, stands to benefit from free trade agreements within the union, facilitating the sale of locally assembled machinery across the continent.

President Lukashenko emphasised the importance of Ethiopia as a key partner in East Africa, citing longstanding historical ties and mutual interest in expanding cooperation. “Ethiopia is one of the most important countries for us in East Africa,” he said. “With a population of over 130 million, we see a valuable role for ourselves to be useful to you.”

The Belarusian leader confirmed that both countries are working on a roadmap for cooperation, building on agreements made during the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024, where Lukashenko met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

“We are ready to supply the full range of machinery and agricultural equipment needed by Ethiopia, as well as transfer relevant technologies and train your personnel,” Lukashenko assured.

He also thanked Ethiopia for supporting Belarus’ partnership within BRICS and expressed hopes for continued collaboration in the group.

Photo: BelTA