Russia–Ethiopia trade triples in 2025 as partnership deepens

Russia’s foreign trade with Ethiopia increased by 46 per cent in 2024 compared with the previous year, and from January to August 2025, the volume of trade has tripled year-on-year. The figures were announced by Russian Minister of Economic Development Maksim Reshetnikov during an official visit of a Russian delegation to Ethiopia, as reported by the official website of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

As part of the visit, Russian representatives held talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide, and Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia Eyob Tekalign. The discussions focused on current issues and long-term prospects for bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Reshetnikov outlined the key priorities for strengthening partnership between the two countries – expanding and diversifying trade flows, boosting investment cooperation, and implementing joint projects in e-commerce, the digital economy, and logistics. He emphasised that Russia views Ethiopia as one of its most important partners in Africa.

“The supply of Ethiopian coffee to the Russian market continues to grow, with imports up by 60 per cent in 2024. Last year, our exports were dominated by grain. In 2025, fertilisers account for the major share of bilateral trade. We see significant opportunities for expanding cooperation in agriculture, industry, energy, humanitarian initiatives, and information technology. There is also great potential for investment and infrastructure development,” Reshetnikov said.

Both Russia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. An Ethiopian delegation is expected to visit Moscow from 10 to 12 November to take part in the next session of the Intergovernmental Commission, where new joint initiatives will be discussed to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Photo: Oleksii Liskonih / iStock