On 29 August 2026, H.E. Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, in his capacity as Special Envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered opening remarks at “Thailand – Ethiopia: Building Business Bridges” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation and strengthening business-to-business ties between Thailand and Ethiopia, with a view to creating new trade and investment opportunities and fostering concrete, mutually beneficial business partnerships.

The Advisor to the Minister highlighted the complementary economic potential of Thailand and Ethiopia. Ethiopia can serve as a gateway to East African markets, while Thailand can provide a link to markets and supply chains in Southeast Asia. This business mission is in line with the Thailand - Africa Initiative (TAI), which seeks to foster long-term partnerships between Thailand and African countries, while strengthening economic ties and connectivity between the two regions.
 
The event was part of a Thai business delegation’s market exploration mission to Nigeria and Ethiopia, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create new business opportunities for the Thai private sector, in line with the Ministry’s Economic Diplomacy.

During the event, Thai and Ethiopian businesses engaged and networked with potential business partners in promising sectors, including banking and finance, agriculture and food processing, chemicals and construction materials, security technology and equipment, and energy, with a view to advancing business cooperation and partnership between the two countries.

Furthermore, the delegation also visited the AMG Gelan Industrial Park to explore business opportunities in agro-processing, steel, energy, and real estate development.