News

On 19-20 May, the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius is paying an official visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the invitation of his Ethiopian counterpart. It is the first visit of the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy to Sub-Saharan Africa.

The official visit includes meetings with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, the Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives Abadula Gemeda, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other officials.

The meetings will discuss prospects for the advancement of bilateral relations in the political, economic and educational fields, the EU-Africa cooperation, important international policy issues in Europe and Africa. During the visit to Ethiopia, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister will also give a lecture to Addis Ababa University students.

Ethiopia is the second-most populated nation on the African continent. The country is actively engaged in the settlement of conflicts in East Africa. It chairs the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Ethiopia has been one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent over the last decade.

Problems on the African continent constitute a large part of the UN Security Council agenda. Lithuania is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2014-2015 term. The country has participated in the international peacekeeping operations in Africa since last year.

Lithuania and Ethiopia established diplomatic relations in 1998.