Addis Ababa, Dec 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Global South is shaping its own destiny, asserting that developing nations are moving forward with confidence and clarity, as he addressed a joint session of Ethiopia’s Parliament in Addis Ababa.
“The Global South is writing its own destiny, and India and Ethiopia share a vision for the future,” PM Modi said, stressing that its rise is “not against anyone, but for everyone.”
Calling for reforms in global governance, the Prime Minister said institutions created in 1945 no longer reflect present-day realities. “The world cannot move forward if its system remains locked in the past,” he said.
Highlighting the deep civilisational links between the two countries, PM Modi said India and Ethiopia share nearly 2,000 years of historical connections. Recalling history, he noted that Indian soldiers fought alongside Ethiopians during the country’s liberation in 1941. “Across the Indian Ocean, merchants traded more than goods; they exchanged ideas and ways of life,” he said.
During the visit, India and Ethiopia elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The two sides signed eight MoUs and agreements, including on customs cooperation, establishment of a data centre at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN peacekeeping training, debt restructuring under the G20 framework, expansion of ICCR scholarships and introduction of short-term AI courses for Ethiopians.
PM Modi said Indian companies are among the largest investors in Ethiopia, having invested over USD 5 billion across sectors and generated more than 75,000 jobs. He also recalled India’s assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “It was India’s proud privilege to supply Ethiopia with over four million vaccine doses.”
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Adwa Victory Monument, describing it as “a timeless reminder of how Ethiopia’s victory inspired the entire colonised world in its quest for dignity and freedom.”
Cooperation between the two countries spans education, digital public infrastructure, healthcare, governance, peacekeeping, youth and innovation. “From governance and peacekeeping to digital capacity and education, the focus remains on empowering our people,” PM Modi said, adding that emphasis on knowledge and innovation reflects a shared belief in youth as drivers of the future.
During the visit, PM Modi was conferred Ethiopia’s highest civilian honour, ‘The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia’, by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
After concluding his engagements in Ethiopia, Prime Minister Modi departed for Oman, the final leg of his three-nation tour.
