The United Kingdom has unveiled a new package of economic, security, and humanitarian partnerships with Ethiopia aimed at addressing illegal migration from the Horn of Africa, a region that British authorities say has become a significant source of irregular arrivals to the UK in recent years.
During her first official visit to Africa as Foreign Secretary on Monday, Yvette Cooper outlined a strategy focused on tackling the root economic and security factors that push migrants into the hands of smuggling networks, while also strengthening law-enforcement cooperation and accelerating the return of individuals with no legal right to remain in Britain.
According to figures cited by the UK government, nationals from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan accounted for around 30 percent of small-boat arrivals to the UK over the past two years, prompting London to intensify its engagement with countries along migration routes.
Economic development and job creation featured prominently in the visit’s agenda. Cooper signed a Joint Development Agreement advancing two energy-transmission projects in Ethiopia valued at more than $400 million, developed by Gridworks, a company backed by British International Investment (BII). The projects are designed to strengthen Ethiopia’s energy infrastructure and expand domestic employment opportunities.
The British official also met representatives of telecommunications giant Safaricom, supported by a British-led investment consortium, as part of efforts to encourage private-sector growth and create jobs that could reduce incentives for outward migration. In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance on the Ethiopia Investment Advisory Facility II, described as the UK’s flagship economic partnership program with Addis Ababa.
On the security front, the UK pledged closer coordination with Ethiopian authorities to dismantle human-smuggling networks operating across the Horn of Africa and Europe. The cooperation includes funding through the UK’s Border Security Command and enhanced collaboration between Ethiopian law-enforcement agencies and the UK National Crime Agency to improve investigations and intelligence sharing on organized criminal groups.
Cooper also held talks with African Union officials and regional foreign ministers on conflict prevention and diplomatic solutions to security crises that continue to displace millions across the Horn of Africa, a factor London views as directly linked to migratory pressures toward Europe.
The visit further included a humanitarian funding package totaling £17 million. The allocation comprises £5 million to combat violence against women and girls in conflict-affected areas, £4 million through UNICEF to provide life-saving assistance for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and £8 million in support of the International Committee of the Red Cross to expand access to clean water, food production, and medical services for displaced communities.
British officials stated that the new initiatives align with the government’s recently announced “Africa Approach,” a policy framework intended to strengthen trade, investment, and security partnerships with African nations while promoting shared economic growth and regional stability. London is also seeking to reinforce its long-term diplomatic presence in Ethiopia, which is set to host the COP32 climate conference in 2027 — the same year the UK is scheduled to chair the G20.
