Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, held high-level talks in Addis Ababa this week with Nikolay Spassky, Deputy Director General of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, marking another significant step in the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries in nuclear energy development for peaceful purposes.
The centerpiece of the meetings was the formal signing of a Strategic Roadmap for Nuclear Energy Development between the Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission and Rosatom, building on a broader nuclear cooperation agreement signed in September 2025.
Ethiopia’s interest in nuclear energy is driven primarily by a stark electricity gap. The country has one of the lowest rates of electricity access in the world, and hydropower — its dominant source — has been severely affected by recurring droughts.
Rosatom’s engagement in Africa has been accelerating. The corporation has partnerships with Egypt, Zambia, Uganda and Rwanda. In Egypt, it is building the El Dabaa nuclear power plant — the continent’s first — in a project valued at more than $30 billion.
Some analysts have raised questions about transparency in Rosatom’s Africa partnerships. Ethiopian civil society groups have called for greater public consultation and independent oversight. Dr. Almaz Gizaw of Addis Ababa University said nuclear energy can be valuable but only if developed with transparency and robust safety standards.
The government says Ethiopian scientists will be at the center of the program at every stage. The next phase includes a joint working group on nuclear training, a feasibility study for potential plant sites, and the drafting of Ethiopia’s national nuclear legislation.