The talks followed the signing of an agreement to build the African country’s first nuclear power plant
Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Moscow after both leaders attended the Global Atomic Forum. The latter earlier noted his country’s ambition to secure a “safe and transparent” nuclear program.
During the talks on Thursday, state atomic energy corporation Rosatom chief Aleksey Likhachev and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos exchanged a signed action plan to develop a nuclear power project in Ethiopia, the Kremlin said in statement.
“Our relations are gaining momentum across all areas, and we are very pleased that things are going that way,” Putin told Abiy.
In response, the Ethiopian leader described mutual relations as “very strong” and said “enhancing this historical background to make better the future is very important.” He added that Ethiopia sought to align strategically with Russia and that his visit to Moscow would further strengthen ties.
In a separate statement, Abiy’s office said the two leaders also discussed “a wide range of issues,” including energy, agriculture, healthcare, defense cooperation, and agreements to jointly develop a nuclear power plant for clean energy and public use.
Putin and Abiy last met in October 2024 during the BRICS summit in Kazan, where they discussed cooperation in trade, health, and research.
Ethiopia has sought to diversify its partnerships and expand energy capacity for its more than 120 million people, nearly half of whom still lack access to electricity. The government has invested heavily in renewable projects, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which was officially inaugurated on September 9 with a generating capacity of about 5.15 gigawatts.
On Thursday, following the signing of the nuclear plant framework with Ashabir Balcha, director general of Addis Ababa’s Electric Power Corporation, Rosatom head Aleksey Likhachev said it brings the two sides closer to building the project.
He said the state nuclear company is “honored to participate” in a plan aimed at ensuring a sustainable energy future for Africa’s second most populous country and the wider region.
“Rosatom is ready to share cutting-edge technologies with our partners, support personnel training, and create the necessary infrastructure,” Likhachev stated.
