Adwa Defense, Intelligence & Strategic Studies

U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga became the latest foreign envoy to visit ENDF headquarters and hold consultations with Ethiopia’s new Defense Minister, Mohammed Idris, following engagements with ambassadors from France, China and the European Union. The discussions focused on Ethiopia’s regional role, bilateral defense cooperation, security and counterterrorism.

China launches a diplomatic push to ease regional tensions, sending Special Representative on African Affairs Liu Xianfa to Ethiopia, Djibouti and Egypt; Horn of Africa Envoy Hu Changchun to Eritrea; and Middle East Envoy Zhai Jun to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia. On November 4, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos met Liu Xianfa to discuss regional peace and security. A day earlier, Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai met Defense Minister Mohamed Idris at ENDF headquarters to strengthen military cooperation.

Ethiopian Defense Minister Mohammed Idris and French Ambassador Alexis Lamek met in Addis Ababa, reaffirming their countries’ historic ties and commitment to stronger military and strategic cooperation. The partnership also builds on longstanding naval cooperation.

Ethiopia and China pledged to deepen their longstanding military and strategic cooperation following talks between Defense Minister Mohammed Idris and Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai. Discussions focused on expanding defense industry partnerships, technology transfer, and military training.

An EU-supported regional maritime security forum hosted by the Ethiopian Navy concluded in Addis Ababa on October 29, 2026. Naval commanders from Yemen, Oman, Djibouti, Somaliland, and Puntland discussed joint search-and-rescue operations, intelligence sharing, and maritime security cooperation. Ethiopian Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kindu Gezu attended the closing ceremony.

On October 26, 2026, the Ethiopian Navy opened a four-day regional maritime forum in Addis Ababa, supported by the European Union and attended by naval commanders from Yemen, Oman, Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland. Vice Admiral Kindu Gezu, Commander of the Ethiopian Navy, officially inaugurated the forum, emphasizing regional maritime security cooperation.

The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa emerged from the AU’s 2009 Tripoli Declaration and its call for African-led solutions to Africa’s peace and security challenges. Conceived through the efforts of PM Meles Zenawi, Prof. Andreas Eshetè, and other African leaders, the Forum first convened in Bahir Dar in April 2012 under the theme “Managing Diversity and State Fragility,” with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as its founding Board Chair. Unlike formal diplomatic gatherings, Tana was designed for frank exchanges among African leaders, scholars, diplomats, and security experts—free from diplomatic protocol and the pressure to reach consensus. The 12th edition takes place October 23–25, 2026, in Bahir Dar under the theme “Pathways to Peace in Africa: Economic Sovereignty and Geopolitical Transformation,” bringing together approximately 250 participants. The Forum is invitation-based, not a membership organization. Its Board, currently chaired by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, includes former presidents Joyce Banda, Goodluck Jonathan, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Catherine Samba-Panza, alongside senior diplomats, policymakers and scholars.

The first-ever Army-to-Army Staff Talks between Ethiopia and India concluded in Pune, marking another significant step in the growing strategic partnership between the two countries. The discussions covered military capacity building, defense technology, innovation, and expanded cooperation. The Ethiopian delegation also toured Indian defense industries, gaining firsthand exposure to India’s indigenous manufacturing capabilities and defense start-up ecosystem. For Ethiopia, India offers a valuable partner in diversifying defense relationships, strengthening technological capabilities, and developing a more self-reliant defense industry. For India, Ethiopia represents a strategic partner in the Horn of Africa, where the security of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean increasingly intersects with its national interests. The talks build on the Strategic Partnership announced during PM Modi’s December 2025 visit to Addis Ababa, reflecting a relationship increasingly moving from diplomatic engagement toward practical military and defense-industrial cooperation.

The 6th Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan was held in Geneva on 21 October 2026. Co-hosted by Switzerland and the United Nations, the meeting brought together more than 20 countries and international organizations to strengthen coordination of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.