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ETHIOPIA PERSPECTIVE
XI LAUNCHES A GLOBAL AI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION, CHALLENGING US DOMINANCE
DOMINANT ANGLE
Addis Ababa sees the establishment of the Global Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence Organization as an opportunity for Ethiopia to diversify its technological partnerships, rather than as a issue of Sino-American rivalry.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Addis Ababa, July 19, 2026. Ethiopia's Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Molla, signed the founding agreement of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) in Shanghai, alongside representatives from 28 other countries. The intergovernmental organization, backed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aims to establish a global governance framework for artificial intelligence based on "consultation, joint contribution, and benefit sharing," according to the agreement text cited by the Fana agency. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed on behalf of Beijing, while United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres attended the ceremony, reinforcing the organization's international legitimacy.
Based in Shanghai, WAICO claims to operate "in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter" and support the development of AI that is "safe, inclusive, and equitable." For Addis Ababa, joining WAICO is part of an already established trajectory: the country has launched the Digital Ethiopia 2025 agenda and created a national institute dedicated to artificial intelligence, while reaffirming this year its commitment to strengthening international cooperation on data resources and technological innovation.
This signature is not an isolated gesture. The Ethiopian Council of Ministers has also moved forward, under the presidency of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, on a bill ratifying the country's accession to the New Development Bank of the BRICS, an institution that has already approved $42.9 billion in financing for 140 projects. The stated goal is to diversify infrastructure financing sources and strengthen South-South financial integration. The convergence of these two initiatives outlines a consistent diplomatic line in Addis Ababa, more focused on methodically expanding its range of multilateral partnerships, from development financing to technological governance, than on choosing between Washington and Beijing.
No official Ethiopian statement explicitly mentions a Sino-American rivalry over AI. The institutional narrative preferred in Addis Ababa remains one of international cooperation and national capacity building, in line with a diplomacy that multiplies memberships – OACPS, BRICS, and now WAICO – without openly aligning with one camp.
KEY POINTS
- Ethiopia joined 29 other countries in Shanghai to establish the WAICO, with Minister Belete Molla signing the agreement on behalf of Addis Ababa.
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed for Beijing in the presence of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
- The Ethiopian Council of Ministers also moved forward with the country's membership in the New Development Bank of the BRICS, which has already funded 140 projects totaling $42.9 billion.
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Institution-centered framing: Ethiopian articles report the official signing without delving into Western critical positions on WAICO.
Preference for government sources and the Fana agency, close to the state, at the expense of independent voices or civil society.
Low coverage of the technical governance stakes of AI, with an emphasis on multilateral diplomacy rather than the content of the agreement.
SOURCES (2)
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