Ethiopia–Finland relations
Encyclopedia
Finland-Ethiopia relations are foreign relations between the Finland
and Ethiopia
. Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 17, 1959. Ethiopia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm
, Sweden
. Finland has an embassy in Addis Ababa
.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
traces the relationship between the two countries to the 1950s when Finnish missionaries first came to Ethiopia. In March 1984 the two countries signed a Memorandum on Development Cooperation. In 2003, the Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja
, visited Ethiopia.
sectors. Finland began bilateral development cooperation with Ethiopia in 1967. Development cooperation was suspended during the Ethiopian Civil War
in 1991–93, and again in 1998–2000 during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War
. Finland, like other donors, did not make any new cooperation commitments in 2005 as a result of the violence following the parliamentary elections
, but did resume cooperation at the previous level in 2007.
On 29 April 2009, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
announced that the Finnish government had made a grant of 11.4 million Euros to enable the Benishangul-Gumuz Region upgrade its capacity of planning and managing its rural water supply and sanitation program
to achieve universal access for all Ethiopians. On 28 July 2009, the Finnish Ambassador, Kirsti Aarnio, praised Ethiopia’s effort to pull itself out of poverty by achieving successive economic growth. She described their trade as Finland importing coffee, spices and leather from Ethiopia, while Ethiopia buys in various high-tech products from Finland. She also stated that ample opportunities existed where the two sides can boost cooperation in the areas of environment, information technology, telecommunication services and energy.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 17, 1959. Ethiopia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Finland has an embassy in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ethiopia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Ethiopian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Ethiopia....
traces the relationship between the two countries to the 1950s when Finnish missionaries first came to Ethiopia. In March 1984 the two countries signed a Memorandum on Development Cooperation. In 2003, the Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja
Erkki Tuomioja
Erkki Sakari Tuomioja is the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs. He is currently a member of the Finnish Parliament.Tuomioja is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Finland, although his political views are thought to be more to the left than the party line. He is also a member of ATTAC...
, visited Ethiopia.
Finnish assistance
Ethiopia is one of Finland’s long-term partners in economic development and in the water and educationEducation in Ethiopia
Education in Ethiopia has been dominated by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for many centuries until secular education was adopted in the early 1900s. Prior to 1974, Ethiopia had an estimated illiteracy rate well above 90% and compared poorly with the rest of Africa in the provision of schools and...
sectors. Finland began bilateral development cooperation with Ethiopia in 1967. Development cooperation was suspended during the Ethiopian Civil War
Ethiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil War began on September 12, 1974 when the Marxist Derg staged a coup d'état against Emperor Haile Selassie, and lasted until the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front , a coalition of rebel groups, overthrew the government in 1991. The war overlapped other Cold War...
in 1991–93, and again in 1998–2000 during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War
Eritrean-Ethiopian War
The Eritrean–Ethiopian War took place from May 1998 to June 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea, forming one of the conflicts in the Horn of Africa...
. Finland, like other donors, did not make any new cooperation commitments in 2005 as a result of the violence following the parliamentary elections
Ethiopian general elections, 2005
Ethiopia held general elections on May 15, 2005, for seats in both its national and in four regional government councils. Under pressure from the international community, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised that this election would be proof that more democracy would come in this multi-ethnic...
, but did resume cooperation at the previous level in 2007.
On 29 April 2009, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development is the Ethiopian government ministry which is responsible for general financial policy and for general management of the economy of Ethiopia, in addition to the allocation of economic aid...
announced that the Finnish government had made a grant of 11.4 million Euros to enable the Benishangul-Gumuz Region upgrade its capacity of planning and managing its rural water supply and sanitation program
Water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia
Access to water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia is amongst the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa and the entire world. While access has increased substantially with funding from external aid, much still remains to be done to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the share of people...
to achieve universal access for all Ethiopians. On 28 July 2009, the Finnish Ambassador, Kirsti Aarnio, praised Ethiopia’s effort to pull itself out of poverty by achieving successive economic growth. She described their trade as Finland importing coffee, spices and leather from Ethiopia, while Ethiopia buys in various high-tech products from Finland. She also stated that ample opportunities existed where the two sides can boost cooperation in the areas of environment, information technology, telecommunication services and energy.