Russia Day: Sovereignty and New Horizons of Partnership with Ethiopia

Russia celebrated its national holiday, Russia Day, on June 12. On this occasion, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin published an article in The Ethiopian Herald titled “Russia Day: A Holiday of Sovereignty and New Horizons of Partnership with Ethiopia.”

In the article, Ambassador Terekhin said Russia Day is a national holiday associated with the beginning of the modern era of Russian statehood. According to him, its historical roots go back to June 12, 1990, when the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was adopted.

He said the declaration established the primacy of national legislation, the separation of powers, and renewed foundations for state development. The holiday was officially named “Russia Day” in 2002.

According to Ambassador Terekhin, Russia Day does not separate modern Russian statehood from earlier historical periods. Instead, it highlights the continuity of Russian history spanning more than a thousand years, during which the idea of a strong, sovereign and internally stable state has always held great importance.

The article notes that Russia consistently advocates respect for the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in internal affairs, and proper consideration of the legitimate interests of the Global South, especially African nations.

Terekhin said this is why Russia–Africa cooperation today is not merely an occasional foreign policy track, but a long-term strategic direction with clear political, economic and humanitarian value.

By the end of 2025, trade between Russia and African countries had continued to grow, reaching 27.7 billion U.S. dollars, he noted. The agro-industrial sector saw a 43 percent increase, reflecting the expanding practical dimension of cooperation.

The next major milestone in this cooperation will be the third Russia–Africa Summit, scheduled to be held in Moscow on October 28–29, 2026, the article said.

Ambassador Terekhin emphasized that Ethiopia traditionally holds a special place in Russia’s Africa policy. According to him, relations between Russia and Ethiopia are deeply rooted in history, with diplomatic ties established as early as 1898.

He said bilateral relations are currently on an upward trajectory, covering inter-parliamentary ties, foreign policy dialogue, trade, economic cooperation, science, technology and humanitarian engagement.

The state of trade and economic relations is particularly significant, he noted. Ethiopia currently ranks tenth among African countries in terms of trade volume with Russia. Bilateral trade turnover grew 3.4 times compared to 2024, reaching nearly 600 million U.S. dollars.

Scientific and technological cooperation is also gaining practical substance. In early June, Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives ratified an agreement to establish a Joint Russian-Ethiopian Center for Biological Research.

According to Terekhin, these developments show that interaction between Russia and Ethiopia is not merely formal, but substantive, dynamic and result-oriented. He said what matters most in relations with Ethiopia is not only statistical growth, but also the shift toward more intensive and goal-focused cooperation.

Russia Day, he wrote, is not only an occasion to celebrate Russia’s national holiday, but also an opportunity to highlight the resilience, historical depth and future potential of the Russian-Ethiopian partnership.