Office of the President of the Republic
Press release 31/2019
3 October 2019
President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö will make an official visit to Ethiopia on 15–16 October 2019.
President Niinistö will meet President of Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, 15 October. In addition to bilateral relations between Finland and Ethiopia, the Presidents will discuss topical regional and international issues.
President Niinistö will also meet with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed and speak at a conference on climate change. In addition, President Niinistö will be one of the keynote speakers at a High-Level Event on Women’s Economic Empowerment, along with President Sahle-Work Zewde and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN Women. President Niinistö has been HeForShe campaign’s IMPACT Champion since 2015.
On Wednesday, 16 October, President Niinistö will meet Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat and attend a lunch hosted by President Sahle-Work Zewde. President Niinistö will also visit a local primary school supported by Finland, together with Ethiopia’s Minister of Education Tilaye Gete.
This is the first presidential visit between Finland and Ethiopia, and President Niinistö’s first official visit to Africa. Previously, President Niinistö has visited South Africa in 2013 to attend the memorial service for President Nelson Mandela. President Niinistö’s delegation will include Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.