Rwanda latest country to sign defence cooperation with Ethiopia
The agreement covers cooperation in areas including counterterrorism, training, and related military capacity building programs.
Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of Ethiopia National Defense Forces (ENDF), and Lieutenant General Mubarak Muganga, Army Chief of Staff of Rwanda signed a defence cooperation on Thursday to collaborate in various military sectors.
The two countries signed the agreement following discussions on potential areas of collaboration between senior Ethiopian defence force officials and Lt, Gen. Mubarak, who is on an official visit to Ethiopia.
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A press statement was released following the signing of the agreement by the defence institutions of both countries.
In the statement, Major General Teshome Gemechu, Major General Teshome Gemechu, Director General of External Relations and Military Cooperation at the ENDF, said that Ethiopia and Rwanda “have been working together on military matters for many years,” and the new agreement aims to further consolidate their cooperation.
The agreement covers cooperation in areas including counterterrorism, training, and related military capacity-building programmes.
Brigadier General Patrick Karuretwa, Director of Rwanda Defense Force’s International Military Cooperation, reinforced Maj. Gen. Teshome’s comments on the “strong and long-standing relationship” between the two.
'Quick to support Rwanda'
He also acknowledged Ethiopia as a country that has always been “quick to support Rwanda in times of need” and reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to strengthening its military ties with Ethiopia.
The defence cooperation agreement makes Rwanda the latest country with which Ethiopia has signed similar agreements.
In November last year, a military delegation from Kenya, led by General Charles Kahariri, Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces, and his Ethiopian counterpart Field Marshal Birhanu, agreed to “strengthen their collaboration in the military sector to sustain and further develop their partnership. The discussions also highlighted areas of mutual interest to enhance security and stability.”
Earlier in March Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, met with Ethiopia’s senior defence officials led by Defense Minister Abraham and General Abebaw Tadesse, Deputy Chief of General Staff of ENDF, and discussed “bolstering military relations” between the two countries.
The meeting, which was also attended by Brig. Gen. Mohammed Ali Al Hajri, took place on the sidelines of the 8th Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024) and addressed topics of mutual interest aimed at enhancing strategic military alignments between Ethiopia and Qatar.
In September 2023, Field Marshal Berhanu, visited South Africa where he met and held discussions with his counterpart, General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the South African National Defense Force on ways to lay “a strong foundation for military cooperation.”
A defence cooperation agreement was also signed between Ethiopia and South Sudan following a meeting between Major General Demsew Amenu of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces Intelligence Directorate and Lt. General Marshal Stephen Babanen, Chief of Military Intelligence of the South Sudan Defense Force, on 26 November in Addis Ababa.
Military cooperations have also been signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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