By Yohannes Lijalem
German chargé d’affaires Dr Ferdinand von Weyhe calls for peace and unity while highlighting more than a century of shared heritage and diplomatic co-operation.
Addis Ababa (AMECO)— Germany’s chargé d’affaires and deputy ambassador to Ethiopia, Dr Ferdinand von Weyhe, has extended warm seasonal wishes for the Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash, framing the holiday as an occasion to celebrate peace, national unity, and more than a century of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Delivering an official address in the capital, Addis Ababa Dr von Weyhe offered a message of goodwill for the country’s future:
“May this year bring to all of us here in Ethiopia — also to my country, but especially here in Ethiopia — bring peace, bring unity, bring richness of harvest, bring desire, bring healings, and Melkam Addis Amet!”
Turning immediately to diplomatic relations, Dr von Weyhe stressed that enduring international alliances must be sustained through tangible institutions rather than high-level rhetoric alone.
“We can always talk on a high level, but it has to come down to, to concrete,” he stated. “And one very specific concrete cultural cooperation is our German school here in Addis Ababa. Is our German Goethe-Institut here in Addis Ababa.”
Highlighting academic exchange and joint archaeological projects, the envoy praised shared heritage across the country.
“It’s the many Ethiopian students going to Germany for studying. Is the archaeological cooperation,” he noted. “You may know that this year we are celebrating 120 years of the German Aksum Expedition. And this is not only some way far away like 120 years ago, because still today there is archaeological cooperation in Yeha, close to Adwa, where there are excavating Ethiopian and German archaeologists together. And this is culture at its best.”
Ministerial visit reinforces trade and strategic alignment
The cultural celebration comes against the backdrop of intensified high-level diplomatic engagement between Berlin and Addis Ababa. German Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited the capital on January 22, 2026, to hold high-level bilateral talks aimed at bolstering diplomatic alignment and commercial partnership.
During his visit, Minister Wadephul met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and State Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadera Abera to review progress under the 2025–27 Cooperation Framework. Discussions centered on expanding trade and driving new investments into renewable energy, infrastructure, and climate-resilient agriculture. Accompanied by members of the German Bundestag and embassy officials, the Foreign Minister also engaged with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to discuss governance and reform.
Demonstrating the commercial dimension of the relationship, Minister Wadephul toured the Cargo Terminal at Bole International Airport, citing it as a primary example of expanding cooperation between German and Ethiopian commercial sectors.
The ministerial discussions also touched on Horn of Africa regional stability, counterterrorism efforts, and Germany’s ongoing support for African peace-building initiatives.
Within the European Union, Germany continues to champion a constructive, partnership-driven strategy towards Africa, advocating trade alignment and multilateral support. Meanwhile, Ethiopia remains a crucial diplomatic hub and anchor of stability as the host country and seat of the African Union, maintaining a vital role in continental economic integration and international peacekeeping commitments across Africa.
