Ethiopia and the United States agree to strengthen strategic defence cooperation
The talks were co-chaired by Major General Teshome and Brian J. Ellis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for African Affairs at the Pentagon.
Ethiopia and the United States have agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation following high-level bilateral consultations held at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
A delegation from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Defense, led by Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General of Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation, visited the United States from August 19 to 20, 2026, for discussions with senior officials from the US Department of War and other defence institutions.
The talks were co-chaired by Major General Teshome and Brian J. Ellis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for African Affairs at the Pentagon.
During the consultations, the two sides agreed to elevate military and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries to a new level, focusing on stronger institutional ties and strategic coordination.
The defence leaders agreed that the partnership would be guided by key priorities, including protecting national interests, promoting mutual benefits, strengthening trust and expanding joint efforts aimed at supporting peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa and the wider region.
Major General Teshome and Ellis reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the agreed frameworks and advancing the Ethiopia-US defence relationship into a future-oriented strategic partnership.
The Ethiopian delegation also held additional meetings with senior officials from US defence institutions and conducted visits to various facilities during their stay.
The renewed cooperation comes as Ethiopia and the United States continue to engage on regional security matters, with both countries seeking greater coordination on challenges affecting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.
