Ethiopia and Cuba have signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to enhance cooperation in technology and sports development between Addis Ababa and Havana. This was during a ceremony held on Thursday at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa.

Thursday's signing event was officiated by Ethiopia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, alongside visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla, who arrived in Ethiopia on Wednesday.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Dr. Belete Molla, and Cuba’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Meylin Suárez Álvarez signed the MoU on technological cooperation.

The MoU on sports development was signed by Ethiopia’s Minister of Culture and Sports, Shewit Shanka, and Cuban Minister Bruno.

During the signing ceremony, Ambassador Mesganu highlighted the longstanding bilateral ties between Ethiopia and Cuba, rooted in mutual respect and shared history. He emphasized that the agreements are a reflection of the  commitment to deepen cooperation, particularly in multilateral forums.

On his part, Minister Bruno Rodriguez pledged Cuba’s strong ties with Ethiopia across various sectors and expressed keen interest in expanding collaboration in innovation, sports, and beyond.

The two countries celebrate fifty years of diplomatic relations this year. On Wednesday, Hon Bruno laid a wreath of flowers at the Ethio-Cuba Friendship Park in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa as part of events during his visit. The park has a monument commemorating 163 Cuban internationalists who died in Ethiopia.

He also met with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the two discussed ways to strengthen Addis-Havana relations in the areas of agriculture, education, health and biotechnology among others. The visit included a meeting with the Speaker of the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives, Tagesse Chafo.