Russia and Ethiopia have discussed to deepen strategic cooperation in mineral and geological exploration.
This came after a meeting between the two sides which focused on reviewing the results and future prospects of Russia and Ethiopia’s collaboration in geology and mineral exploration, exchanging best practices, and highlighting opportunities for developing Ethiopia’s mineral resources.
An official delegation of the Russian Federal Agency for Subsoil Management, led by Chief Advisor Dmitry Oleynik, arrived in Ethiopia on Wednesday for a working visit, Sputnik reported mentioning the agency.
On the first day of the visit, they held lectures with their Ethiopian counterparts at the Russian Science and Culture Center in Addis Ababa, discussing topics like the protection and use of groundwater, geochemical mapping in Russia, state management, and oil and gas exploration.
Oleynik and members of the delegation met with the Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Evgeny Terekhin, and had extensive discussions with members of the Ethiopian Geological Institute and the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.
"We continue to systematically develop our cooperation with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in geology and subsoil use. A notable example is the Russian-Ethiopian Business Forum held on December 20 in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Russian-Ethiopian Commission on Economic, Scientific-Technical Cooperation, and Trade, initiated by the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use. This event gave a significant boost to bilateral relations," Oleynik said.
The working trip and exchange of experience between Ethiopian and Russian specialists will last until Friday.
Geology and subsoil utilization are not the only areas of close collaboration between Ethiopia and Russia. With Ethiopia joining the BRICS in early 2024, the East African country is actively cooperating in various fields, including medicine, information security, and education.
According to Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov, Russia and Ethiopia also plan to develop a detailed strategy for joint space exploration efforts and will formalize their agreement by signing cooperation memoranda. The announcement was made during a meeting of the BRICS space agencies' heads in Moscow in May.
Furthermore, in November 2023, the two nations agreed to conduct joint scientific research. This collaboration includes helping Ethiopia develop laboratories and improve its ability to prepare for epidemics, as stated by the Russian state health agency, Rospotrebnadzor.