By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Israel, 13 January 2026 Israel on Monday labelled Ethiopia a "long-term strategic partner" and pledged to deepen diplomatic ties, following high-level talks in Jerusalem that underscore Israel's growing footprint in the Horn of Africa.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hosted Ethiopian State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hadera Abera Admassu for discussions focused on regional security and bilateral cooperation.
"We discussed mutual challenges in our regions," Sa’ar said in a statement on social media platform X, describing the meeting as an opportunity to "further strengthen ties" between Tel Aviv and Addis Ababa.
The meeting comes at a time of heightened regional volatility. Ethiopia is currently engaged in diplomatic disputes with Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea. Central to these tensions is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile and access to the Red Sea.
Egypt and Sudan view the massive hydroelectric project as an existential threat to their water security, while Ethiopia maintains the dam is essential for its national development and energy needs.
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Eritrea, on the other hand, is engaged in a diplomatic fight with Ethiopia over access to the Red Sea. The landlocked country has vowed use all means to access the waters angering its neighbour.
The high-level meeting between Ethiopia and Israel follows a controversial move in late December 2025, when the Middle East country became the first UN member state to officially recognize the independence of Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. Sa’ar’s recent visit to Hargeisa, sparked sharp condemnation from the Somali government, the African Union, and several Arab and Islamic nations, who view it as a violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity.
In the recent past, Ethiopia's long sought sovereign access to the Red Sea has increasingly found common ground with Israel’s security-focused diplomacy in the region.
The Ethiopian delegation’s visit is expected to continue for several days, though officials have not provided a specific timeline for the conclusion of the talks.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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