Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2026, President Taye Atske Selassie positioned Ethiopia’s national goals within a broader African and Global South agenda, pressing for United Nations Security Council reform, reliable maritime access, and expanded multilateral cooperation as the country advances domestic economic transformations.
Ethiopia utilized the global stage of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York to press for structural changes in international governance. President Taye Atske Selassie addressed the General Debate on September 23, connecting the country’s national priorities to a wider push for equitable multilateralism, greater African representation in key global bodies, and peaceful regional integration.
The diplomatic push aligns with the overarching theme of the UN gathering: Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.
Against a backdrop of international pressure from armed conflicts, climate emergencies, and widening inequalities, Ethiopia framed its foreign policy around both national development and continental advocacy.
United Nations Security Council Reform and Africa’s Global Voice
At the core of Ethiopia’s message in New York was the persistent imbalance in global decision-making institutions. President Taye renewed the nation’s call for an overhaul of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that Africa remains structurally underrepresented in an institution charged with international peace and security.
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman has similarly highlighted Africa’s underrepresentation as a central pillar in discussions regarding inclusive global governance and institutional reform.
Ethiopia’s diplomatic stance draws directly on its historical experience. As a nation shaped by the League of Nations’ failure to prevent fascist aggression in the 1930s, Addis Ababa views multilateralism not merely as a diplomatic framework, but as a critical mechanism for collective security whose credibility suffers when principles are applied selectively.
Maritime Access and the Ethiopia-Djibouti Petroleum Pipeline
While President Taye pressed the case for maritime access on the global diplomatic front—framing reliable sea outlets as essential for trade costs, supply chains, and industrial competitiveness—back home and across the Horn of Africa, concrete infrastructure initiatives moved forward to anchor regional integration.
Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the Dangote Group formally announced a major 120-kilometer refined petroleum-products pipeline project reported by the Ena news service. The infrastructure will link Damerjog in Djibouti to Dewele in Ethiopia, supported by storage facilities at both ends that feature a combined capacity exceeding one million cubic metres.
Developed through a partnership between Ethiopian Investment Holdings and the Dangote Group, the project aims to reduce Ethiopia’s heavy reliance on tanker-truck transportation, cut logistics expenses, and ease corridor congestion. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Ismail Omar Guelleh oversaw the official announcement, which turns regional cooperation objectives into tangible economic connectivity.
WTO Accession and Tourism Foreign-Exchange Growth
Domestically, Ethiopia’s economic transformation agenda advanced across multiple fronts during the week of September 20–26. The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration announced that the country’s long-running bid to join the World Trade Organization has reached the final stage of drafting the Working Party Report.
Alongside the drafting milestone, bilateral market-access negotiations have concluded successfully with 11 of 17 negotiating partners, while discussions persist with the remaining six. Government officials anticipate that WTO accession will establish a predictable framework for international trade and integrate the national economy more deeply into global value chains.
At the same time, the tourism sector delivered substantial economic returns, recording more than 1.6 million international visitor arrivals and generating over 5 billion USD in revenue during the 2018 Ethiopian Fiscal Year.
Clean Energy and Multilateral Commitments
In his address to the international community, President Taye also highlighted the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a Pan-African clean-energy asset capable of fostering regional prosperity. Reaffirming a commitment to peaceful cooperation, the administration positioned renewable energy and technological inclusion as vital components of sustainable development.
Ещё по этой теме
