Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Wednesday once again personally drove Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the airport and bid him farewell as the Indian leader emplaned for Muscat, marking the final leg of his three-nation tour that began in Jordan.

The warm send-off capped a high-profile visit during which Prime Minister Modi received an exceptional reception in Ethiopia, including a prolonged standing ovation in the Ethiopian Parliament following his address. Lawmakers reportedly applauded the Prime Minister more than 50 times during his speech.

According to a detailed press statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Prime Minister Modi began his address by conveying greetings of friendship and goodwill from the people of India to Ethiopian lawmakers. He described it as a privilege to address the Parliament and, through it, the people of Ethiopia, including farmers, entrepreneurs, women and youth shaping the nation’s future.

The Prime Minister thanked the Ethiopian government and people for conferring on him the country’s highest civilian honour, the Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, and expressed satisfaction that bilateral ties had been elevated to a Strategic Partnership during the visit.

Recalling deep civilisational links, Modi said both India and Ethiopia blend ancient wisdom with modern ambition. He noted that India’s national song Vande Mataram and Ethiopia’s national anthem both refer to the land as “mother”, reflecting shared values.

He also highlighted the contribution of Indian soldiers who fought alongside Ethiopians during the liberation struggle in 1941 and said it was an honour to pay tribute at the Adwa Victory Monument.

The MEA said Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Ethiopia, recalling the role of Indian teachers and businesses in the country’s development. He shared India’s experience in digital public infrastructure, food processing and innovation, and conveyed readiness to continue development support aligned with Ethiopia’s priorities.

Emphasising India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family — Modi said it was a privilege for India to supply vaccines to Ethiopia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister also underlined that India and Ethiopia, as nations of the Global South, must stand together to amplify the voice of developing countries and thanked Ethiopia for its solidarity in the global fight against terrorism.

Highlighting Addis Ababa as the headquarters of the African Union, Modi said India was honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency. He noted that India-Africa ties have deepened significantly over the past 11 years, with more than 100 high-level visits exchanged, and recalled his proposal at the Johannesburg G20 Summit to launch the Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative.

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Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to arrive in Muscat shortly, concluding his three-nation tour.