Ethiopia–Poland relations

Ethiopia–Poland relations pertain to the diplomatic connections between Ethiopia and Poland. The history of relations between these two countries can be traced back to November 1930, during the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie. Shortly thereafter, the Polish chargé d'affaires arrived in Addis Ababa from Cairo to establish official relations. Despite signing the Treaty of Friendship, Trade, and Settlement in 1934, this agreement did not take effect due to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia.
Diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Poland were reestablished in September 1963 when Emperor Haile Selassie paid an official visit to Poland. During this visit, the Emperor was bestowed with the Order of Polonia Restituta and signed two significant treaties: one focusing on Cultural Cooperation and the other on Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Following the Ethiopian Revolution and the ascent of the communist Derg to power in 1974, the two nations maintained amicable relations and entered into various agreements concerning trade, aviation, loans, culture, and media. Additionally, numerous Ethiopian scholars visited Poland during this period.
In May 2017, Polish President Andrzej Duda made history by becoming the first Polish head of state to visit Ethiopia. In response, Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome reciprocated and in April 2018 and became the first official visit by an Ethiopian president to Poland. The primary focus of these visits was to explore opportunities for economic and political cooperation between the two nations. However, despite the warm reception, the economic ties between Poland and Ethiopia have yet to fully develop, with Ethiopia currently ranked as Poland's 114th trade partner in terms of foreign trade turnover as of 2020.
History
Poland–Ethiopia relations began in the early 1930s when the first Polish chargé d'affaires Juliusz Dzieduszycki arrived in Addis Ababa from Cairo during Emperor Haile Selassie's coronation. Shortly thereafter, the Ethiopian envoy in Paris made the first official visit to Poland. In 1934, the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship, Trade, and Settlement, but it was thwarted by the Italian invasion that followed.
In 1946, the Ethiopian legation in Cairo proposed a restoration of diplomatic relations. On October 3, 1947, Zygmunt Kuligowski, the Special Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary, presented his credentials to Haile Selassie. During this time, the Ethiopian envoy in Moscow received his credentials in Warsaw. From 1947 to 1960, bilateral relations were minimal with sporadic interactions. In 1960, the Polish Legation and the Office of Commercial Counselor began operating in Addis Ababa. A year later, in 1961, diplomatic missions between Poland and Ethiopia were elevated to the rank of embassies in Addis Ababa and Moscow.
Significant progress was made in September 1963 when Emperor Haile Selassie was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland (Polonia Restituta) during his visit, which also led to the signing of two treaties: one on Cultural Cooperation and another on Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Poland provided subsidies for Ethiopian students and dispatched experts in various fields to assist Ethiopia.
Following the Ethiopian Revolution and the rise of the Derg to power in 1974, Poland recognized the new authorities in Ethiopia. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their relations through reciprocal visits by representatives and the signing of numerous agreements covering trade, aviation, loans, culture, and media. Notably, the number of Ethiopian scholars in Poland has significantly increased during this time.
1989–present
In 1992, the Polish Embassy in Ethiopia was closed due to budget cuts, and its responsibilities were transferred to the Polish Embassy in Yemen. The Embassy was reopened in 2003. In May 2017, Polish President Andrzej Duda made an official visit to Ethiopia, marking the first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa by a Polish president. President Duda held consultations with Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to discuss political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
In April 2018, Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome visited Poland and met with President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. During the visit, representatives from the Polish and Ethiopian Ministries of Foreign Affairs held consultations, and both countries sat together in the UN Security Council.
Economic relations
Economic relations between the two countries are relatively small. As of 2020, Ethiopia was 114th partner in foreign trade turnover, with exports from Poland reached 2,585 million USD, while the import from Ethiopia reached 1,088 million USD.
References
Foreign relations of Ethiopia
Foreign relations of Poland
Ethiopia–Poland relations