Ethiopia turns to China to develop its digital infrastructure

With the rise of digital technology, cooperation between Ethiopia and China, which dates back to the 1970s, has expanded into new strategic areas. Digital transformation is now at the heart of their collaboration.

Belete Molla Getahun and Li Lecheng, Ethiopian Minister of Innovation and Technology and Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, respectively, signed a memorandum of understanding in Addis Ababa on Thursday, September 25, to support the implementation of the “Digital Ethiopia 2025” strategy and accelerate the digital transformation of the East African country.

This agreement in principle aims to boost socio-economic development in the region in a sustainable manner. It notably targets the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure with the deployment of fiber optics, 5G and satellite communications, the development of emerging technology sectors such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and services related to big data and cloud computing, as well as the sharing of knowledge and expertise with China.

“Our strategic partnership goes beyond diplomacy. It is based on a shared vision and deep political trust, a key pillar of Ethiopia’s national development agenda and a gateway to a more integrated and resilient future,” Belete Molla said on X.

This agreement is part of the consolidation of the strategic partnership concluded between the two countries in 2023, informs We Are Tech Africa , strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of digital technologies. At the national level, the Ethiopian digital economy remains marked by a still low Internet penetration rate (21.3% in 2024 according to DataReportal ) and by significant disparities between urban and rural areas.