Ethiopia and Russia discuss easier visas and more flights for travellers

Russia and Ethiopia are discussing expanded air connections and further visa facilitation for tourists and businesspeople, Russian Ambassador Yevgeny Terekhin said in an interview with TASS ahead of the Russia-Africa summit. The talks are still at the discussion stage, and no measures, dates or routes have been announced.

Key facts

• Who said it: Russian Ambassador Yevgeny Terekhin, in an interview with TASS
• What is under discussion: expanded air connections and further visa facilitation
• Who could benefit: tourists and businesspeople
• Also on the agenda: a draft intergovernmental agreement on a nuclear power plant project
• Timing: no start date or deadline has been announced

What is being discussed?

Terekhin said the two countries are looking at expanding air connections between them and at further visa facilitation for tourists and businesspeople. He did not give details of what the visa facilitation would involve, which nationalities it would cover or when any change might take effect.

Alongside the travel topics, Rosatom and the Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission are coordinating a draft intergovernmental agreement that would set out the principles of cooperation on a proposed nuclear power plant, Terekhin said.

Who could be affected?

On the travel side, the ambassador referred specifically to tourists and businesspeople. The source does not state which passports or traveller categories would be covered by any facilitation, nor whether the expanded flights would be new routes, additional frequencies or something else.

What has been decided?

Nothing has been finalised. The ambassador described discussions and the coordination of a draft agreement, and no signed deal, effective date, fee, visa type or flight schedule is mentioned.

What this means for travellers

There is no change to Ethiopian or Russian entry rules at this stage. Travellers planning trips between the two countries should continue to follow the visa and entry requirements currently in force and check for announcements before booking, as no new visa arrangements or flights have been confirmed.

No further steps or dates have been announced. Any concrete visa or air service measures would presumably follow later, but the source gives no timetable.