Lula begins visit to Ethiopia to take part in the African Union Summit

After visiting Egypt, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will begin his state visit to Ethiopia this Friday (February 16). There, he will attend the African Union Summit as a guest. Meetings and attending the event “Climate financing for agriculture and food security: Implementation of the Nairobi Declaration and results of COP-28” have also been planned.

Lula landed in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa this Thursday night (15), local time (6 hours ahead of Brasília time). On Friday morning, the President’s agenda begins with a floral offering ceremony in honor of the fallen heroes of the Battle of Adwa, in March 1896, between Ethiopia and Italy. The President will then visit the Adwa Memorial Museum.

The Brazilian leader will be received at Ethiopia’s government headquarters for the welcome ceremony, followed by an expanded meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. After that, Lula and Ahmed will meet behind closed doors.

Following the lunch offered to Lula by the Prime Minister, the Brazilian president continues his intense schedule in Addis Ababa. His last commitment for this Friday is the event on climate financing for agriculture and food security.

AFRICAN UNION — In addition to the state visit to Ethiopia, President Lula will attend the African Union Summit. The headquarters of the entity—which became an official member of the G20 in 2024 with support from Brazil—is in Addis Ababa. With the participation of dozens of heads of state and government at the summit, the President has invitations to several bilateral meetings, as yet to be confirmed.

Ambassador Carlos Duarte, Secretary for Africa and the Middle East at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that Ethiopia is a country with which Brazil can develop stronger trade. “It has had strong and significant economic growth and is an important market. Brazil can benefit from having a greater presence in Ethiopia,” explained the Ambassador.

According to Duarte, the invitation to the African Union Summit can be interpreted as a sign of prestige, since only African governments usually take part in this event. “It is recognition of the priority that the President has been giving to Africa in his foreign policy,” he highlighted.

ENTOURAGE – President Lula traveled to Egypt and Ethiopia alongside Brazilian Ministers Mauro Vieira (Foreign Affairs); Wellington Dias (Development and Social Assistance, Family and the Fight Against Hunger); Luciana Santos (Science, Technology and Innovation); Anielle Franco (Racial Equality); Silvio Almeida (Human Rights and Citizenship); Vinícius Marques de Carvalho (Comptroller General of the Union); and Special Advisor Audo Faleiro.