In the name of humanity and the values of peace, I convey my greetings and best wishes to the Ethiopian people especially the Muslim community and to our brothers and sisters across the world, on the occasion of the start of the great month of Ramadan: a month of Taqwa (consciousness of Allah), prayer, and tolerance.

Ethiopia is a land of loyalty and truth. Accordingly, we in Ethiopia welcome Ramadan in a special way because we possess an inherent civilization and deep history. We are the land of the two Migrations (Hijras); Ethiopia was the first refuge for those following the truth when the world became narrow for them. The Great Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) bore witness to Ethiopia, describing it as: "A land of truth where no one is wronged." Over 14 centuries ago, Ethiopia proved to the world that justice and loyalty are deserved by all and know neither race nor borders.

This good land, which embraced the Prophet’s message at its inception, is the land that produced Bilal ibn Rabah, who sounded the first call of unity to the world. Today, the Adhan (call to prayer) heard five times a day from mosques around the globe is an echo of that noble Ethiopian voice, whom the Great Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) uniquely chose to ascend the roof of the Kaaba.

This makes Ethiopia a bridge between the hills and the Kaaba; we are an example of a voice for the values of justice heard morning and night. In this spiritual atmosphere, from this "Land of Truth," we renew our heartfelt commitment to justice: our efforts to ensure our right to development are not intended to deprive others of their right to life.

As a Land of Truth, we assure the entire world that Ethiopia has no ambition to encroach upon the borders of others, nor does it have a desire for expansionism or to be a security threat to its neighbors.

Our efforts to achieve development by utilizing our water resources are not planned to decrease anyone’s share of water. We believe the Great Abbay (Nile) is a divine gift that everyone should use with equality and justice; it should be a bridge for cooperation, not an arena for conflict. The Nile is a divine table prepared by the Creator for all of us to share in its blessings, not something to fight over for its drops. Ethiopia will remain loyal to its neighbors; she thinks no evil, seeks no harm, and does not wish to reduce anyone’s share. Instead, we stretch out our hands so that the waters of the Nile may become a lifeline that connects our hearts before it connects our farms.

As Ethiopia, home to over 130 million people, carries out the journey of Renaissance it has begun today, it views its surroundings through the lens of cooperation, not expansion. Our desire for access to the sea is a peaceful and natural existential matter necessitated by population growth. This request is a call for cooperation that does not infringe upon the sovereignty of neighbors or harm the interests of others. It is a peaceful effort stemming from the belief that Ethiopia’s prosperity is the prosperity of the entire region. The goal is to open horizons of cooperation to ensure development, not to close the doors of mutual assistance.

O people of Great Ethiopia, humanity is tired of bloodshed; its shoulders are weighed down by war. Being in the womb of hardship and scorched by its fires, we declare that now is the time for the language of peace to replace the drums of war. Let our wealth shift from digging trenches to building institutions, from manufacturing weapons to development, and from killing humans to healing, teaching, and empowering them.

The Ethiopian Renaissance is not merely physical construction; it is a moral and humanitarian renaissance based on the spirit of tolerance and the principles of coexistence. This ensures a common homeland and freedom of religion for all; this is not just a claim, but a truth lived by people in ancient and recent times, as spoken by history and books.

In this month of Ramadan, we pledge that Ethiopia will continue to be a beacon of tolerance, an extended hand for peace, and a vigilant eye for building a future worthy of the next generation. We shall make Ethiopia, as it always was, a green land of truth and a starting point for a renaissance that suffices for all. We pray that the Almighty God blesses the hands of all those striving for development, prosperity, and peace during this holy month.

Ramadan Mubarak. May you reach this season in peace every year.

Abiy Ahmed Ali (PhD) Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.