Look back at the first EU-Ethiopian Business Forum!

For two days, the Hilton Addis Ababa became a meeting point for businesses looking to invest, grow and build new partnerships across Ethiopia and Europe.

Held on 20 and 21 April under the theme "Unlocking the Global Gateway Potential", the first EU-Ethiopia Business Forum brought together more than 500 participants from Ethiopia, Europe and beyond. They included companies, investors, government representatives, development finance institutions, business associations and chambers of commerce. The two-day Forum was followed by optional visits to projects and businesses around Addis Ababa on 22 April.

The event reflected the growing economic relationship between the EU and Ethiopia. The EU is Ethiopia's largest export destination and its second-largest trading partner, while around 300 European companies are already active in the country. EU investment stock in Ethiopia stands at approximately €3.51 billion.

But the Forum was not simply about presenting figures. Its central purpose was to bring the people behind those figures into the same room: Ethiopian businesses seeking investment and expertise, European companies exploring a rapidly evolving market, policymakers working to improve the business environment, and financial institutions able to help turn promising ideas into bankable projects.

The Forum at a glance

• More than 500 participants

• Two days of panels, business exchanges and networking

• European and Ethiopian companies, investors and public institutions represented

• Four main areas of opportunity: digital transformation, clean energy, health and sustainable agri-food value chains

• A third day of optional field visits for up to 250 participants

A high-level conversation on Ethiopia's investment potential

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela opened the Forum, setting out the EU's ambition to build an investment partnership focused on jobs, skills, connectivity and sustainable economic growth.

He was joined by senior Ethiopian, European and African representatives, including Semereta Sewasew, Ethiopia's State Minister of Finance; Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area; and Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austria's Federal Minister for European and International Affairs.

Their discussions focused on Ethiopia's economic reform agenda, regional market integration and the conditions needed to increase sustainable private investment. Throughout the Forum, public-sector representatives also heard directly from businesses about practical issues affecting investment, from access to finance and customs procedures to infrastructure, skills and regulatory predictability.

The message was straightforward: Ethiopia offers significant opportunities, but converting potential into investment requires continued dialogue between government, businesses and financial partners.

Watch: business opportunities in focus

What does it take to turn Ethiopia's economic potential into concrete partnerships? This video looks back at the business side of the Forum - from high-level discussions and investment announcements to the companies, investors and institutions exploring opportunities together.

Connecting businesses with opportunities

The Forum programme combined policy discussions with a strong practical focus. Thematic panels examined opportunities in digitalisation, renewable energy, health, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, access to finance and regional trade.

Participants could also take part in business-to-business and business-to-government exchanges, meet financial institutions and explore investment proposals presented through the Forum's Investment Wall . The aim was not only to discuss Ethiopia's potential in broad terms, but to put specific companies, projects and investment needs in front of potential partners.

This approach was particularly important for Ethiopian companies seeking finance, technology or commercial partnerships, as well as for European businesses trying to understand the market, identify reliable partners and navigate the country's investment environment.

New investments supporting private-sector growth

The Forum also provided the setting for a package of new EU and European investment initiatives.

Commissioner Síkela made a range of announcements, targeting energy, digital connectivity, healthcare and reforms to the business environment.

The EU and Ethiopia also signed a €150 million Digital Economy Package, with the ambition of doubling that initial commitment. The package will support digital infrastructure, skills development and reforms intended to create a stronger environment for technology and innovation.

The European Investment Bank announced two lending operations worth a combined €130 million: a €20 million loan to Zemen Bank to expand financing for agri-food businesses and smallholder farmers, and a €110 million rural-finance operation targeting households, women and small enterprises.

These announcements complemented the Forum's wider objective: showcasing investment opportunities and building the relationships needed to move them forward.

More than business cards and panel discussions

While investment was at the centre of the event, the Forum also highlighted the people, culture and relationships that connect Ethiopia and Europe.

Informal conversations, Ethiopian food, music, cultural performances and encounters between participants created space for relationships to develop beyond formal meetings. For businesses entering a new market, those human connections matter. Trust is rarely built through a presentation slide alone.

Watch: the people and culture behind the Forum

Beyond the conference rooms, the Forum was also a celebration of exchange between Ethiopia and Europe. This video captures the cultural programme, social moments and personal encounters that gave the event its energy and brought participants together.

Turning momentum into lasting partnerships

The first EU-Ethiopia Business Forum demonstrated the scale of interest in Ethiopia's economic future and the value of bringing public and private actors together around specific opportunities.

Its success will ultimately be measured by what follows: new commercial relationships, stronger public-private dialogue, greater access to finance and investments that create sustainable businesses and quality jobs.

The Forum provided the introductions. The next step is turning those conversations into partnerships.