ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s upcoming visit to Ethiopia has received wide coverage in local media, highlighting its diplomatic significance as the two countries mark 100 years since the opening of Türkiye’s embassy in the capital Addis Ababa, a milestone in relations that date back as far as the 16th century.
Both state-owned and private media outlets have broadly portrayed the visit positively, emphasizing longstanding ties, growing economic engagement and Ankara’s diplomatic role in the region.
The trip, scheduled for Tuesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, will be Erdogan’s first to Ethiopia in more than a decade.
State-run Fana Broadcasting Corporation has framed the visit as a level up in bilateral relations. In one article about the Turkish president, the headline portrayed him as “the architect of the new Türkiye.”
Private media outlet Addis Standard also reported on the visit, linking it to tensions in the Horn of Africa and Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement in the region. Its coverage said the two countries are expected to sign various cooperation agreements that have already been reached at the official level.
In another report, Pulse of Africa, a pan-African digital media platform launched last October by Abiy, underscored that Türkiye is strengthening its presence in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa as President Erdogan visits Addis Ababa to expand trade, infrastructure and security ties.
Speaking at an event marking the century-old bilateral relations, Türkiye’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Berk Baran, said Erdogan’s visit marks “the elevation of already strong ties.”
“Türkiye and Ethiopia already enjoy a strategic relationship in various aspects, including political, economic and social relations,” he said.
Consistent political ties and dialogue
"In this ambivalent global order, Türkiye and Ethiopia have built a very consistent open relationship without third-party mediation. This should be kept and strengthened,” Emre Yasin Kekec, an independent researcher based in Türkiye, told Anadolu.
Analysts say the relationship has been shaped by mutual political understanding, even when national interests differed.
"I believe Türkiye understands Ethiopia’s positions; we’ve seen this during the Nile dispute, we have seen this during its quest for sea access, and this stems from similarities of geographical context and statehood history," said Ibrahim Mulushewa, a researcher and head of a think-tank based in Addis Ababa, speaking at a panel marking the centennial of ties.
He said this shared perspective has enabled direct engagement between the two countries.
"Turkish understanding sometimes might not be on the same page, but at least both countries see the perspectives, and that very reason created dialogic and direct relations, which also made Türkiye succeed in mediating very sensitive regional matters like that of the Ethiopia-Somalia dispute, which was resolved through the historic Ankara declaration," he said.
People-to-people ties anchor relations
Speaking at a panel discussion on the occasion of the centennial of official bilateral relations, Baran said “the century-old people-to-people diplomacy has been the core character of bilateral relations between Türkiye and Ethiopia,” noting that President Erdogan’s visit “marks a new level of bilateral ties."
Analysts also say the partnership has been sustained as much by societal connections as by formal diplomacy.
“Mostly talks revolve around political diplomacy, while the real bridge is people-to-people relations,” Kekec said.
Scholars also highlighted the role of cultural diplomacy in shaping public perceptions.
“The cultural, social and artistic diplomacy is mostly overlooked, as it is mostly overshadowed by political diplomacy. However, in the Ethiopian context, Turkish TV shows, students like myself who studied in Türkiye, and cultural resonance have made the country positively portrayed across the country,” said Abdulaziz Dino, a lecturer at Addis Ababa University who holds a PhD from Ankara University.
“In this ever-changing global order, traditional diplomacy, though it plays a vital role, would have much less impact unless it is supported by media, cultural and social capital,” he added.
According to the scholars, Erdogan’s visit reflects both the symbolism of a centennial milestone and an effort by both countries to reinforce ties rooted in historical familiarity, diplomatic dialogue and longstanding societal connections.
