Ethiopia-Russia relations (Russian: Российско-эфиопские отношения) encompass the multifaceted relationship between Ethiopia and Russia. Both countries formally established diplomatic relations on April 21, 1943. Currently, Russia maintains an embassy in Addis Ababa, while Ethiopia has an embassy in Moscow. Notably, the Ethiopian ambassador to Russia also holds accreditation for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
The history of this relationship has its origins in the 19th century. Since then, great power competition and evolving political and economic interests have shaped the bilateral relationship between Ethiopia and the Soviet Union, and now Russia.
How do the past 78 years affect today's ties? Do Ethiopia and Russia’s objectives in Africa dovetail or diverge, and what effect does the relationship have on the broader region?
Early Contacts and Tsarist Era
The first contacts between Russians and Ethiopians occurred in Palestine, where Russian pilgrims encountered the Ethiopian religious community. Around 1370, the Russian pilgrim Agrefeny documented the performance of Ethiopian rites in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
In the 1470s, Afanasy Nikitin, on his return journey from India, traversed what is now Eritrea, becoming the first Russian to set foot in Ethiopian lands.
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Russia's initial forays into the Horn of Africa involved a Cossack adventurer named N.I. Ashinov, who attempted to establish a "New Moscow" at Sagallo, a coastal town in modern-day Djibouti. This short-lived settlement was dismantled in February 1889 by French authorities, who removed the 175 Russian settlers.
While Ashniov's support from the Russian Tsar was lukewarm at best, an official delegation led by V.F. Mashkov visited Emperor Menelik II in October 1889. Mashkov discussed arms sales to Ethiopia with the Ethiopian emperor, and upon returning to Russia he was decorated by the Tsar.
The Role of Religion
"As you know, Ethiopia is pretty much an outlier in this region. The region is actually dominated by either predominantly Muslim countries and Catholic and Protestantism, which you find when you go down to the horn of Africa, but Ethiopia is an outlier. It is probably the only Orthodox Christian country together with Eritrea. So religion played an important role in the state building and nation building process and Orthodox Christianity had an important role in the state, particularly in 1974. The relationship between [Russian and Ethiopia] also has an element of exchange between the two countries’ patriarchs and the Orthodox Church leadership and the last meeting with the Orthodox Church patriarch has informed meetings with senior government officials and that was also true when Orthodox church officials visited Moscow in 2018.
Russia and Ethiopia orthodox church relation
The Soviet Era and its Aftermath
In 1943, Ethiopia and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations.
Ethiopia remained one of China’s many important partners without being a resource-rich country, unlike many African countries that China has a strong relationship with. That comes with the fact that Ethiopia is endowed with a strategic advantage of being situated in an important position within the conflict-prone Horn of Africa region and particularly as it serves as one of the most pacifying factors in the region...
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Russia is also reasserting its influence in Africa by enhancing its security presence in multiple ways. In addition to the arms sales, Moscow was concluding security agreements and conducting military training, in particular with a number of unstable autocratic states in Africa, such as the Central African Republic, Libya, and Mozambique. One of Russia’s stated priorities in Africa is to advance regional peace and security and this is a priority it shares with the United States.
Whereas Moscow portrays its growing relations with Africa as mutually beneficial for all parties involved, Washington often sees Russia’s presence as a threat to good economic governance and the rule of law in Africa.
Contemporary Relations
On February 11, 2021, the Wilson Center Kennan Institute and Africa Program co-hosted a discussion on “Ethiopia-Russia Relations” as a part of the Kennan Institute’s “Global Perspectives” event series.
Mr. Demissie opened the discussion by framing the historical context of Russia-Ethiopia relations, which trace their origins as early as 1890. He emphasized four points crucial to understanding the “largely cordial relations” that have endured between the two nations since then.
- First, Russia and Ethiopia are both “ancient empires” with extremely diverse populations that have emerged as “struggling modern-day federations.”
- Next, both countries have experienced the influence of Marxism in ways that continue to shape their societies in the present.
- Third, Russia and Ethiopia are closely linked militarily, dating back to the USSR’s support of Ethiopia’s Derg regime in the 1970s and 80s. A military cooperation agreement between the two countries signed in 2018 underscored the persistence of this relationship.
- Fourth, Russia and Ethiopia share a common Orthodox Christian religious identity.
Great Power Competition in Africa
Several audience questions focused on increased great power competition in Africa. Mr. Morrow remarked that with decreased US engagement in recent years, both Russia and China are playing an increasingly influential role in Africa, as are rising “middle powers” including Turkey, India, and several Persian Gulf countries.
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He added that African countries with stability and strong governance are able to play these struggles between great and middle powers to their advantage, while less stable countries are more likely to be taken advantage of.
Mr. Demissie identified Ethiopia’s strategic location and regional influence as an advantage, making it an important ally for Russia, China, and the US. He noted that Russia’s relationship with Ethiopia and other African countries largely centers on military ties, while China focuses on economic and infrastructure initiatives.
Mr. Demissie also emphasized Ethiopia’s perception that it can rely on Russia as an ally “when Ethiopia doesn’t get what it wants from the West.”
Other questions involved the lingering impact of communism, Russian disinformation campaigns, Ethiopia’s civil conflict in Tigray state, and academic cooperation.
Another question was how the US could become a preferred ally compared to China or Russia.
Mr. Demissie echoed this sentiment, adding that while the US will continue to play a central role in the democracy and governance realms, it needs to engage more with African countries at senior levels.
The final question from Mr. Rojansky focused on the state of government-to-government and people-to-people relationships between Russia and Ethiopia. Mr. Demissie concluded by saying that religion, culture, and history all contribute to Russia’s close relationship with Ethiopia.
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