Ethiopia: Thailand and Ethiopia launch business mission in Addis Ababa

On August 29, 2026, Arthayudh Srisamoot, advisor to Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs and special envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered the opening remarks at the « Thailand – Ethiopia: Building Business Bridges » meeting in Addis Ababa, according to a Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement released by Africa Newsroom (APO). The advisor reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to deepening economic cooperation and business-to-business ties with Ethiopia, highlighting the complementarity of the two economies: Ethiopia as a gateway to East African markets, and Thailand as a bridge to Southeast Asian supply chains. The initiative is part of the Thailand-Africa Initiative (TAI), launched by Bangkok to build long-term partnerships with African countries. During the event, Thai and Ethiopian companies forged contacts in banking and finance, agriculture and agribusiness, chemicals and construction materials, security, and energy. The Thai delegation also visited the AMG Gelan industrial park to assess opportunities in agribusiness, steel, energy, and real estate. The amount of the envisaged investments was not specified in the statement. This meeting potentially opens new market opportunities for Ethiopian exporting companies targeting Southeast Asia and for Thai investors seeking to establish a foothold in an African industrial hub featuring a low-cost workforce and facilitated access to regional markets via the African Continental Free Trade Area. For over a decade, Ethiopia has relied on its industrial parks, such as Hawassa or Bole Lemi, to attract foreign capital into textiles and agribusiness—a strategy undermined by the depreciation of the birr following the floatation of its currency...