US and Ethiopia sign defense agreement in Washington — Asharq Al-Awsat
The United States and Ethiopia signed a defense agreement in Washington on August 21 during an official visit by an Ethiopian military delegation. The parties described the document as a strategic framework for strengthening military and security cooperation, protecting national interests and ensuring mutual benefit, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
Red Sea security
Rafaat Mahmoud, head of the African Studies Unit at Egypt’s Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center, said Washington seeks to restore relations with Addis Ababa after several years of tensions. According to him, the tensions were linked, among other things, to the war in Tigray and US criticism of the human rights situation in Ethiopia.
In Mahmoud’s view, the agreement shows that Ethiopia has become part of broader US calculations regarding Red Sea security, countering the influence of China and Russia, and combating armed groups in the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopian lawmaker Mohammed al-Arousi noted that Washington links the Horn of Africa to Red Sea security, international trade, maritime routes and terrorist threats. He added that Ethiopia has significant demographic, political and military weight in the region and hosts the permanent headquarters of the African Union.
Al-Arousi also recalled that the United States and Ethiopia launched a dialogue in May on the economy, trade, investment, defense and security. In his view, the subsequent conclusion of the defense agreement indicates Washington’s long-term approach to cooperation with Addis Ababa.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Relations between Cairo and Beijing
The announcement of the US-Ethiopian defense arrangement came several days before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Cairo. During the trip, Egypt and China signed agreements and memorandums in several areas, and joint Egyptian-Chinese air exercises were also held.
Some media linked the intensification of Washington’s contacts with Addis Ababa to the rapprochement between Egypt and China. At the same time, Mahmoud stressed that Egyptian-Chinese relations are not new, although the expansion of economic and security cooperation between Cairo and Beijing may have increased US sensitivity to the issue.
US strategic affairs expert Adolfo Franco cautioned that the agreement contains no formally binding provisions or direct funding. According to him, future defense exports will continue to depend on strict restrictions, individual assessment and consideration of the human rights situation.
Former US diplomat Henry Ensher said that the United States is seeking a security partner in the Horn of Africa and views Ethiopia as the best option given its capabilities. In his view, despite US-China competition in Africa, Egypt remains Washington’s more important partner, so defense rapprochement with Ethiopia is unlikely to be aimed at confrontation with Cairo.
