New Delhi/Addis Ababa,17 December (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ethiopian sojourn crystallized into eight pivotal agreements on Tuesday, elevating India-Ethiopia ties to a Strategic Partnership and spanning customs synergy, digital fortification, peacekeeping collaboration, debt alleviation, educational expansion, AI skilling, and healthcare elevation, as detailed in the official outcomes list from his two-day state visit.
PM Modi touched down in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, December 16, welcomed personally by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali at the airport in a gesture of profound camaraderie, with Abiy driving him via the Science Museum and Friendship Park through tricolour-lined boulevards—this first bilateral since 2011 forming the heart of his four-day, three-nation voyage: Jordan (December 15-16), Ethiopia (16-17), and Oman next.
Foremost, an Agreement on Co-operation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters streamlines trade flows, complementing a Memorandum of Understanding for erecting a cutting-edge Data Centre at Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to bolster diplomatic data sovereignty.
An Implementing Arrangement advances joint United Nations Peacekeeping Operations Training, harnessing both nations' storied contributions, while a landmark MoU on Debt Restructuring under the G20 Common Framework eases Ethiopia's fiscal burdens, signaling India's solidarity in global economic equity.
Educational bridges widen with doubled scholarships for Ethiopian scholars via the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) programme, alongside specialized short-term Artificial Intelligence courses under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) for Ethiopian students and professionals, igniting youth empowerment.
India further commits to amplifying capacities at Addis Ababa's Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in maternal and neonatal care, addressing critical health imperatives amid Ethiopia's growth trajectory.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
