Paulo Rangel visited Ethiopia and Kenya between April 14 and 16, and gave Lusa, by telephone, an overview of his diplomatic meetings with his Ethiopian and Kenyan counterparts - Gedion Timothewos and Musalia Mudavadi, respectively - as well as his meeting with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali, and the Kenyan President, William Ruto.

Relations with Ethiopia

Regarding Ethiopia, where he was on 14 April, he highlighted that there is "a great invitation for a greater Portuguese presence", supported by a relationship with deep and ancient historical roots.

"The relations are very old. There is essentially a lot of memory of the Portuguese presence in Ethiopia, in particular of Cristóvão da Gama," he said, referring to the Portuguese military man, son of Vasco da Gama, who led a contingent of about 800 men in support of the Ethiopian defence.

According to Rangel, this memory has an impact, as he associates Portugal with Ethiopia being "the only country that was never colonised in Africa."

Despite the historical weight, the Minister defended the need to strengthen the economic aspect of the relationship, identifying agriculture and energy as priority areas.

"In the agricultural sector, there is enormous expansion," said the head of Portuguese diplomacy.

The Minister explained that Ethiopia has recently begun registering cereal surpluses after decades of food security difficulties.

In the energy area, he highlighted that the country produces about 90% of its electricity from hydropower, but intends to diversify into solar and wind, sectors in which "Portugal has a great deal of experience," he indicated.

On the other hand, he argued that more needs to be done to improve the teaching of Portuguese in the country, despite the existence of university protocols, but that "Ethiopian universities need to be a little more open" to the availability and presence of Portuguese.

The official also highlighted the strategic importance of Addis Ababa, the African Union's headquarters, as a central point for Portugal's presence in the region.

The direct air link between Porto and Addis Ababa, which began in the summer of 2025, was also pointed out as a factor that facilitates the strengthening of relations, allowing greater mobility to Africa.

Relationship with Kenya

In Kenya, during the visit that began on 15 April, the official highlighted the existence of a "great political alignment between the two countries in international forums," including the United Nations and in the dialogue between Europe and Africa.

During his visit, a protocol was signed between the Camões Institute and the Aga Khan Foundation for cooperation in the climate area regarding coastal restoration, which, according to Rangel, has an economic and social impact, especially among women and young people.

On the other hand, for the Minister, economic relations remain below potential, as they are "not very ambitious," and he advocated for greater involvement from entities such as the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP) to strengthen the Portuguese business presence.

According to Rangel, there are opportunities in renewable energy, construction, agriculture, and the ocean economy, including aquaculture, fishing, and maritime security.

The official also indicated the intention to move forward with an agreement in the area of ​​security and defence, which has already been duly communicated to the Minister of Defence, Nuno Melo.

"They are very interested in the 'drone' [unmanned aerial vehicle] industry; they are not closed to our contribution to the production industry," he contextualised.

On the other hand, he recalled that "the possibility of having Portuguese taught as an option in Kenyan secondary education has been agreed upon for a long time, although it has never been put into practice," but now there is the possibility of implementing it in some pilot schools.