ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (HornPost) — Ethiopia and the United States agree to deepen defense and security cooperation following high-level Pentagon talks, Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry says.
Ethiopia and the United States have agreed to establish comprehensive strategic cooperation in defense and security following high-level consultations at the Pentagon, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
A high-level Ethiopian delegation led by Major General Teshome Gemechu, director general of foreign relations and military cooperation at the Ministry of Defense, visited the United States on Aug. 19-20, 2026, for bilateral consultations with U.S. defense officials.
The talks were co-led by Brian J. Ellis, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of war for African affairs, according to Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry.
Ethiopia said the two sides agreed to elevate military and diplomatic cooperation to a new strategic level and expand institutional cooperation between their defense establishments.
The proposed partnership will focus on protecting national interests and promoting mutual benefits, while strengthening trust and strategic coordination between the two countries.
According to the Ethiopian government, the framework will also seek to strengthen joint efforts to promote lasting peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa and the wider region.
Major General Teshome and Ellis reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the agreed frameworks and developing Ethiopia-U.S. defense relations into a more advanced and future-oriented strategic partnership, the ministry said.
The Ethiopian delegation also held additional discussions with senior officials from U.S. defense institutions and conducted visits during its stay in the United States.
The announcement comes amid growing U.S. and Ethiopian attention to security and geopolitical developments across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
However, the details of the new strategic defense framework have so far been publicly outlined primarily by Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry. No separate U.S. government statement specifically confirming the full framework was identified at the time of publication.
The development could have wider implications for the Horn of Africa, where Ethiopia remains a major regional military and political power and where the United States maintains longstanding security interests.
HornPost.com will continue to monitor official statements from Washington and Addis Ababa for further details on the agreement.
Prepared by:
Horn Post Staff
