At Noi Bai International Airport, the delegation was welcomed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang and Vietnamese Ambassador to Tanzania and Ethiopia Vu Thanh Huyen.

Accompanying the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali and his wife on their official visit to Vietnam were: Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos; Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente; Minister of Government Communications Services Legesse Tulu Adera; Minister - Advisor to the Prime Minister on Macroeconomics Teklewold Atnafu; Minister of Social Policies, Advisor to the Prime Minister, Daniel Kibret Birhane; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Birtukan Ayano; Minister of State for Finance Eyob Tekalign; Commissioner of the Industrial Zones Development Authority (IPDC) Fisseha Yitagesu; Minister of State, Chief of the Prime Minister's Office Sandokan Debebe; Minister of State, Press Secretary Billene Seyoum; Minister of State in charge of Protocol, Ambassador Betre Mengistu; Ethiopian Ambassador to Korea, concurrently to Vietnam Dessie Dalkie Dukamo; Assistant to the Prime Minister Biniam Fantahun Sendeku.

Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali was born on August 15, 1976, in Beshasha province, Oromia, Ethiopia.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology (Microlink University of Information Technology, Ethiopia); Master's degree in Transformational Leadership (University of Greenwich, UK); Master's degree in Business Administration (Leadstar School of Management and Leadership, Ethiopia); PhD in Conflict Mediation (Institute of Peace and Security Studies, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia).

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali's working experience: Military service and intelligence work (1993-2007); peacekeeping force in Rwanda (1994-1996); Demobilized (rank of Lieutenant Colonel), became a senior member of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) Central Committee (2010); Director of the Information Network Security Agency (2008-2015); Minister of Science and Technology (October 2015-November 2016); Chairman of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (later the Prosperity Party since 2019) (since 2018).

From April 2, 2018 to present, Mr. Abiy Ahmed Ali is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia (reappointed in July 2021 for a 5-year term).

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has a good feeling towards Vietnam. During his meetings with Vietnamese leaders, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali always expressed his admiration for Vietnam's history of fighting for national independence; highly appreciated Vietnam's important achievements in national construction and development and affirmed his respect for and desire to develop relations with Vietnam.

The official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali and his wife is the first visit to Vietnam by a senior Ethiopian leader since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976, and is also the first high-level delegation exchange between the two countries in 7 years.

Vietnam and Ethiopia established diplomatic relations on February 23, 1976 and are looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2026. The two countries have a good traditional friendship and regularly support each other at multilateral forums. The Communist Party of Vietnam has good relations with the Prosperity Party (also the ruling party) and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (existing from 1988 - 2019) of Ethiopia. Senior leaders of the two parties regularly visit and congratulate each other on the occasion of each side's Congress. The two sides regularly support each other at multilateral forums and international organizations.

In terms of economy, trade and investment, Ethiopia has recognized Vietnam as a market economy since 2014. Two-way trade turnover between the two countries in the past 4 years has remained at 10-15 million USD. In the investment field, MK Group is the only Vietnamese enterprise with a joint venture investment project in the field of smart card production in Ethiopia with a capital contribution of 60% and is promoting cooperation in the field of cyber security and information security for defense purposes.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/thu-tuong-ethiopia-abiy-ahmed-ali-va-phu-nhan-den-ha-noi-bat-dau-tham-chinh-thuc-viet-nam-post410212.html