To advance high-quality participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and actively contribute to the China-Africa in-depth economic and trade cooperation pilot zone, Cai Dianwei, Chairman of HCIG, led a delegation to Ethiopia from March 5 to 8 to conduct a series of business engagements, oversee ongoing projects, and visit frontline staff. Liu Yiqi, Deputy General Manager of HCIG, accompanied the delegation.

On the morning of March 5 (local time), Cai and his delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia and held talks with Ambassador Chen Hai.

Ambassador Chen welcomed the delegation and introduced Ethiopia’s national conditions and development outlook. He noted that, as the host country of the African Union headquarters, Ethiopia serves as a key political center and cooperation hub in Africa. The country is currently at a critical stage of accelerating market-oriented reforms and industrialization. Earlier this year, during Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s first overseas visit of the year to Ethiopia, both sides reached important consensus on advancing the development of the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway Economic Corridor under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expanding industrial collaboration across sectors, and elevating the China–Ethiopia all-weather strategic partnership to new heights. He expressed hope that HCIG would leverage its strengths, seize opportunities arising from Ethiopia’s industrial transformation and the development of the railway economic corridor, deepen its presence in the Ethiopian market, and deliver more benchmark projects of practical cooperation. The Embassy will continue to provide support and assistance for HCIG’s development in Ethiopia.

Cai Dianwei expressed sincere appreciation for the Embassy’s continued guidance and support, and introduced HCIG’s international business development and its operations in Ethiopia. He noted that, as a major state-owned enterprise and the largest foreign economic cooperation enterprise of Hunan Province, HCIG is deeply engaged in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and actively contributes to the China-Africa economic and trade cooperation pilot zone. As a key partner country in Africa with significant market potential, Ethiopia is a strategic focus for HCIG’s regional development. Under the guidance and support of the Embassy, the Group will seize development opportunities, leverage its full industrial chain advantages, align closely with local development plans, and steadily expand cooperation in infrastructure, clean energy, and international trade. HCIG will also actively fulfill its social responsibilities, contributing to local livelihood improvements and economic and social development, and supporting the sustained advancement of the China–Ethiopia all-weather strategic partnership.

On the afternoon of March 5, Cai and his delegation met with Mohammed Abdurahman, Director General of the Ethiopian Roads Authority. Both sides reviewed their long-standing cooperation and spoke highly of HCIG’s contributions to local transport development. They also held in-depth discussions on further expanding cooperation, including participation in key road and expressway projects.

On the morning of March 6, the delegation met with Asfaw Dingamo, Vice Minister of Water and Energy. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening mutual trust, enhancing coordination, and promoting practical cooperation in water resources, energy, and environmental management, with a shared goal of supporting local socioeconomic development and improving livelihoods.

On the afternoon of March 5, Cai and his delegation visited the Ethiopia Office of HNRB to hear a briefing on the Group’s business development in the country. At the meeting, Cai highly commended the office’s two decades of dedicated presence and its project achievements. On behalf of the Group, he extended sincere appreciation and regards to all staff working on the frontlines overseas and outlined key priorities for the next stage of work.

On March 7, the delegation conducted site inspections of completed projects, including the Sodo–Omo River road upgrading project and the Omo River Bole–Awassa ecological tourism road (3.5 km). They also visited project sites of other Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia to review construction quality standards and related operations in detail.

Representatives from HCIG’s International Cooperation Department, HNRB, and SHICO participated in the visit.