The Ethiopia–European Union Investment Forum commenced on November 3, 2025, in Paris, serving as a high-level platform to intensify economic cooperation and attract foreign direct investment into Ethiopia. The event, organized by MEDEF International (France’s largest business federation) in partnership with the European Commission, brings together senior Ethiopian officials, leading European corporations, and major financial institutions. Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, presented the nation’s Home-Grown Economic Reform Agenda and Ten-Year Development Plan, signaling that the country is “more open for business than ever.”
The forum’s discussions emphasize investment opportunities across four strategic, high-growth sectors: aviation (including projects like the Bishoftu Airport expansion), renewable energy (solar, wind, and hydroelectric), transport and infrastructure/logistics, and digital telecommunications (including AI). This aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, which seeks to mobilize funding for sustainable infrastructure projects in partner countries, and contributes to Ethiopia’s national vision for building a resilient, competitive, and green economy.
The Paris forum is a crucial step in Ethiopia’s push to deepen economic ties with Europe and overcome persistent challenges such as foreign currency shortages and a high debt burden. By strengthening public-private dialogue and leveraging its strategic position as a gateway to East Africa, Ethiopia aims to secure financing and technical expertise from the European private sector to accelerate its structural transformation agenda.
