Addis Abeba — The Governments of Ethiopia and France, in partnership with the European Union and leading European corporations and financial institutions, have launched the Ethiopia-European Investment Forum in Paris today, 3 November 2025.
According to a statement from the Ethiopian Embassy in Paris, the high-level forum, organized and hosted by MEDEF International–France’s largest business federation–in collaboration with the European Commission, aims to unlock new investment opportunities across four priority sectors: aviation, renewable energy, transport/infrastructure/logistics, and digital/AI/telecommunications.
The embassy said the forum seeks to build on Ethiopia’s rapid economic transformation, reform momentum, and strategic position as a gateway to East Africa. Participants are expected to explore ways to strengthen trade and investment ties and mobilize financing through the EU’s Global Gateway initiative to promote sustainable and inclusive growth.
“This forum marks a pivotal step in our shared journey–bringing Europe and Ethiopia together to shape a future of innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth,” said Dr. Gedeon Timotheos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
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Finance Minister Ahmed Shide noted that Ethiopia is “entering a new era of economic transformation,” driven by the Home-Grown Economic Reform Agenda and the Ten-Year Development Plan. “We see the European private sector as a key partner in realizing this vision and driving sustainable investment across critical sectors,” he said.
Philippe Gautier, CEO of MEDEF International, emphasized that European businesses and institutions view Ethiopia “not only as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, but as a partner in building the green, digital, and transport infrastructure of tomorrow.”
The forum will center on four key investment priorities. These include the development of Bishoftu Airport and logistics hubs to strengthen Ethiopia’s connectivity with global markets; expansion of renewable energy generation to promote green and climate-resilient growth; advancement of transport, infrastructure, and logistics through the construction of trade corridors, improved connectivity, and the establishment of Special Economic Zones; and the promotion of digital, AI, and telecommunications by leveraging Ethiopia’s youthful population and growing technology ecosystem to foster innovation and competitiveness.
The embassy said the event offers participants the opportunity to gain insights into Ethiopia’s business climate and reform agenda, engage with potential partners, explore co-investment and joint ventures, and identify concrete investment pipelines within the four strategic sectors.
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The Paris forum also serves as a precursor to the upcoming Africa-EU Conference scheduled for April 2026 in Kenya, aimed at deepening Africa-Europe partnerships for sustainable growth.
Recently, Ethiopia’s Embassy in Brussels expressed strong criticism of a joint statement issued by the European Union and Egypt on 22 October 2025 following their summit.
In the statement, the EU reiterated its support for Egypt’s “water security” and the “compliance with international law, including concerning the Ethiopian Dam,” prompting a sharp response from Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Embassy said the communiqué “echoes Egypt’s colonial and monopolistic claims over the Nile River” and “shows a complete disregard for the views and interests of other riparian countries.”
“It is important to remember that the River Nile has eleven riparian countries,” the embassy said, warning that the EU’s stance “negates the rights, aspirations, and very existence of nearly half a billion people in these Sub-Saharan African countries.”
The EU-Egypt joint statement stated: “We will collaborate on water-related issues at bilateral, regional, and international levels, including in line with the Joint Declaration on an Egypt-EU Water Partnership (EEWP). Recognizing Egypt’s heavy reliance on the Nile River in a context of its water scarcity, the EU reiterates its support to Egypt’s water security and the compliance with international law, including concerning the Ethiopian Dam.”
The EU also said it “strongly encourages transboundary cooperation among riparian countries based on the principles of prior notification, cooperation, and ‘do no harm.”
