The diplomatic relationship between Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is built on mutual benefit and demonstrates concrete results, according to Ambassador Muktar Kedir (Dr.), Ethiopia’s Special Envoy and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Ambassador Muktar emphasized that the two nations share deep, centuries-old cultural, religious, and people-to-people ties. While the relationship formally took shape in the mid-19th century, it is now experiencing rapid growth in trade, investment, and social interaction.

Crucially, the ambassador noted that since Ethiopia’s recent political reforms, the comprehensive partnership has matured into an advanced strategic relationship. This shift has attracted a significant number of Saudi investors who are now active across various investment sectors in Ethiopia, and Ethiopia is a key supplier of agricultural products to the Kingdom, contributing to a significantly expanded annual trade exchange between the two countries.

Furthermore, Ambassador Muktar highlighted successful efforts to facilitate legal foreign employment, enabling a large number of Ethiopians to work in various sectors across Saudi Arabia, as reported by ENA. He revealed that 200,000 Ethiopians legally entered the Kingdom just last year, and for the current year, a plan is in place to send an ambitious 360,000 citizens through official, legal channels.

Looking ahead, the ambassador affirmed the commitment to strengthening the people-to-people links and the overall strategic relationship between the two nations.