Rubio hosts Ethiopia’s FM amid push to boost security ties: What to know
In response to heightening regional volatility, Ethiopia is prioritizing a strategic partnership with the Washington to secure its geopolitical standing.
WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted Ethiopia’s foreign minister in Washington on Monday, as Addis Ababa moves to reinforce its position in an increasingly volatile Horn of Africa by strengthening ties with the Trump administration.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that during the meeting, Rubio and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos Hessebon “underscored Ethiopia’s important role in promoting the resolution and de-escalation of conflict across East Africa,” adding that the two sides also discussed “the US-Ethiopia security partnership and the significant steps taken to advance commercial opportunities between our nations.”
Met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister @GHessebon today to discuss expanding our security partnership and increasing commercial opportunities between our two nations. pic.twitter.com/kiPcfLzd3u
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 11, 2026
While in Washington, Timothewos also met with Allison Hooker, under secretary for political affairs at the State Department. During their meeting, per Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry, the two signed the “Bilateral Structured Dialogue (BSD) Framework,” which is aimed at “strengthening relations between the two countries, while expanding opportunities for cooperation on bilateral, regional, and other issues.”
Why now?
