AMN PLUS-May 15, 2026
Finland has expressed support for Ethiopia’s efforts to secure access to a seaport through peaceful and diplomatic means, and maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The remarks were made during a meeting between the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs of Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives and Finnish Parliamentarian Kimmo Kiljunen, alongside Finland’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sinikka Antila.
The discussions focused on the geopolitical situation in the Horn of Africa, as well as trade, investment, technology transfer, and ways to further reinforce the longstanding multifaceted relations between Ethiopia and Finland.
Speaking at the meeting, Dina Mufti a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs of Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives recalled the historic ties between the two countries and stressed the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation.
He highlighted Ethiopia’s ongoing collaboration with Intergovernmental Authority on Development to promote peace, regional integration, and sustainable development in East Africa.
Ambassador Dina also reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to maintaining peace and security across the region. He explained Ethiopia’s growing interest in securing seaport access, citing historical, geographical, demographic, and economic considerations.
According to him, Ethiopia’s approach is rooted in peaceful dialogue, reciprocity, diplomacy, and consensus-building in a manner that benefits all countries in the region. In addition, he outlined the government’s ongoing economic reforms, investment opportunities, improvements in the business environment, and efforts to build lasting peace as part of Ethiopia’s broader development agenda.
For its part, Finland reiterated its commitment to strengthening ties with Ethiopia through development cooperation, trade, and investment.
Finnish Parliamentarian Kimmo Kiljunen noted that Ethiopia occupies a central place in Finland’s Africa policy and described the country as a key strategic partner on the continent. He also expressed Finland’s readiness to cooperate with Ethiopia in combating terrorism and promoting peace and security in East Africa and across Africa. Kiljunen further stated that Finland supports Ethiopia’s pursuit of seaport access through peaceful and diplomatic means.
Finnish Ambassador to Ethiopia Sinikka Antila, meanwhile, highlighted Finland’s ongoing cooperation with Ethiopia in areas such as digitalization, telecommunications, and solar energy, while reaffirming her country’s commitment to expanding collaboration in these sectors in the future according to information obtained from the House of Peoples’ Representatives.
By Leta Teresa
