Ethiopia–Ireland relations
Ethiopia–Ireland relations are foreign relations between Ethiopia and Ireland. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1994, the same year Ireland opened an embassy in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia has an embassy in Dublin.
Both countries signed a Technical Agreement 21 February 1995. That same year the Minister of state for Foreign Affairs in charge of development cooperation, Joan Burton visited Ethiopia. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seyoum Mesfin visited Ireland, and in 2002 Prime Minister Meles Zenawi also paid that country a formal visit.Foreign aid
Ireland disbursed US$58.94 million to Ethiopia in 2007, making it sixth in bilateral donors. Irish foreign aid to Ethiopia includes grants towards focuses on Vulnerability, Health, Education, HIV and AIDS and Governance, either directly via Irish Aid, through NGOs, and missionary societies. These grants amounted to € 32 million in 2007, and over €37 million in 2006. In January 2003, the Irish Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance, Tom Kitt, visited Ethiopia to see how his country could assist in famine relief. He planned to visit the Tigray Region, which was reported as being the most affected by famine at the time.
