On February 27, an official welcome ceremony was held in Baku for Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Meetings

On the same day, Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, followed by an expanded session. Addressing the guests, President Aliyev said: "Mr. Prime Minister, dear guests, welcome to Azerbaijan. I'm very glad that you are visiting us. We just had a very good conversation and covered many important areas of our partnership. I expressed gratitude to Mr. Prime Minister for his hospitality in hosting my daughter, Leyla, who recently visited Ethiopia, and she was very impressed. This is the first time she has participated in any delegation meeting, and it gives her a special feeling toward your country and your people. I’d like to congratulate you on all your achievements. Under your leadership, Ethiopia is developing successfully, is an important member of the international community, and has a growing economy. We are very interested in strengthening our bilateral ties in the political, economic, energy, agriculture, and cultural areas. I am confident this visit will be an important factor for our future cooperation and will bring very good results to our countries and peoples. Once again, welcome."

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali responded: "Mr. President, my dear brother, I am privileged and honored to be in this beautiful country. Baku is much more than I expected—clean and beautiful. It reflects your leadership’s dedication and vision. Our relationship is just beginning, but we will make it structural, practical, and result-oriented. There are many common interests between our countries, and I hope that in the coming years, we will invest together in critical areas to make a difference. Regarding Leyla, congratulations for having such a capable daughter who builds strong relationships. On her next visit, she will see more of our country, and my team and family will also engage with Azerbaijan to strengthen our ties. I’m excited to learn more and work with you in many areas. Thank you very much, Mr. President."

During the meeting, both sides highlighted the development of political dialogue between Azerbaijan and Ethiopia and discussed cooperation within international organizations. They also exchanged views on joint personnel training in agriculture, mining, energy, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence, as well as collaboration in tourism, culture, education, and student exchange programs. The parties noted the successful operation of centers in Ethiopia based on the "ASAN Khidmet" concept and the application of the "DOST" model.

Bilateral Documents

Following the meeting, in the presence of President Aliyev and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Jeyhun Bayramov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, and Gedion Timothewos, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, signed the "Agreement on Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in the Field of Defense" and the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Organization of the Thirty-Second Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP32) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change."

Additionally, during the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s visit, the following memoranda were signed: between the Ministries of Agriculture of Azerbaijan and Ethiopia; between the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan and Ethiopia’s Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission; between the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of Azerbaijan and the Ethiopian Investment Commission; and between Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC and the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation.

Other Visits

On February 27, Ulvi Mehdiyev, the Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, briefed Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, on the ASAN Khidmet model initiated by President Ilham Aliyev, emphasizing its international adoption and innovative public service solutions, while the Ethiopian PM expressed interest in applying similar experience in his country.

During visits to the Alat Free Economic Zone and the AI Academy, Valeh Alasgarov, the Chairman of the AFEZ Authority, and Rashad Nabiyev, the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, highlighted Azerbaijan’s strategic industrial position and artificial intelligence as a key national priority, with discussions focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation.

As part of the official program, Abiy Ahmed Ali also toured the Sangachal oil terminal and was informed about Azerbaijan’s oil history, including the development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field under the "Contract of the Century."