LEAD. Leaders' Visits & Agreements Database
Portrait of Meles Zenawi
Photo: World Economic Forum · CC BY-SA 2.0

President · Prime Minister · Ethiopia

Meles Zenawi

221 recorded engagements, 1991–2012: 221 visits and 17 signed agreements.

Open in the interactive map Ethiopia country profile
221Engagements
221Visits
0Phone calls
0Video conferences
17Signed agreements
55Destination countries
130Multilateral summits
1991–2012Years in LEAD

Biography

Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 1995 to 2012

Meles Zenawi Asres (Tigrigna and Amharic: መለስ ዜናዊ ኣስረስ; pronounced [mɛllɛs zenawi asrɛs] ; born Legesse Zenawi Asres; 9 May 1955 – 20 August 2012) was an Ethiopian politician and former rebel militant commander who served as president of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995 and as prime minister from 1995 until his death in 2012.

Born in Adwa to an Ethiopian father and an Eritrean mother, Meles became actively involved in politics after changing his original first name from Legesse to Meles, adopted following the execution of fellow university student Meles Takele by the Derg government in 1975. In that year, he left Haile Selassie I University to join the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and fight against the Derg (the Mengistu Haile Mariam-led military dictatorship in Ethiopia). In 1989, he became the chairman of the TPLF, and the head of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) after its formation in 1988.

After leading the EPRDF to victory in the Ethiopian Civil War, he served as president of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995, then as the 2nd prime minister of Ethiopia from 1995 to his death in 2012. Meles Zenawi's administration brought...

Text from the Wikipedia article “Meles Zenawi” by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article

Where they travelled

Ethiopia   Visited or called (darker = more often)

Most-visited countries

  • Kenya17
  • Tanzania16
  • Sudan14
  • United States of America12
  • Egypt9
  • France9
  • Djibouti9
  • United Kingdom9
  • Libya8
  • Uganda7
  • South Africa7
  • Nigeria6

Discussion topics

  • Diplomacy and Foreign Relations179
  • Regional Organizations and Multilateral Affairs127
  • Trade and Economic Relations30
  • Development and Aid26
  • Security and Defense16
  • International Conflicts and Crises15
  • Financial and Monetary Issues14
  • Environment and Climate Change8
  • Symbolic and Ceremonial Issues6
  • Peace Negotiations and Mediation3
  • Human Rights and Governance3
  • Infrastructure and Connectivity3

Activity by year

1991: 1 engagement1992: 1 engagement1993: 5 engagements1994: 5 engagements1995: 4 engagements1996: 9 engagements1997: 6 engagements1998: 11 engagements1999: 7 engagements2000: 11 engagements2001: 10 engagements2002: 17 engagements2003: 11 engagements2004: 19 engagements2005: 15 engagements2006: 14 engagements2007: 14 engagements2008: 13 engagements2009: 13 engagements2010: 13 engagements2011: 15 engagements2012: 7 engagements199119952000200520102012

Signed agreements

Where the agreement's title was not recorded, its type or category is shown, as coded in the dataset.

DatePartnerWhat was signed
1993-11-06UgandaFunctional cooperation
1996-09-01KuwaitAgreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments
1997-03-05IndiaTrade Agreement
2000-12-12AlgeriaPeace Treaty
2001-12-02RussiaDeclaration on Principles of Amicable Relations and Partnership
Agreement on the Education Sector
Protocols and Consultative Agreements between MFAs
Medium-term Development Program (Institutional Framework)
2002-02-08FranceEthiopia–France Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIT 2003)
2003-02-19FranceEthiopia–France BIT 2003
2004-10-31ChinaFunctional cooperation
2005-02-22QatarFunctional cooperation
2005-07-06United KingdomHigh-level politics
2005-11-06GermanyEthiopia–Germany Agreement on Reciprocal Protection of Investments (BIT 2004)
2007-02-07TurkeyFunctional cooperation
2007-11-05IndiaEthiopia–India Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIT 2007)
2009-03-31United KingdomEthiopia–UK Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIT 2009)
2011-08-14ChinaEmergency Food Aid and Economic Cooperation Agreement
Cooperation Agreement on Infrastructure and Energy
Bilateral Technical and Technology Transfer Agreement
2011-09-09KenyaLAPSSET Corridor Development Authority Agreement
2012-03-01KenyaLamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Agreement
Regional Infrastructure and Energy Interconnection Pact
Technical Assistance and Transaction Advisory Services Framework

Every recorded engagement

DateTypeDestinationAgreements
1991-06-01VisitSudan · Khartoum
1992-07-02VisitSudan · Khartoum
1993-06-26 – 1993-07-02Visit SummitEgypt · Cairo
1993-11-01 – 1993-11-02VisitKenya · Nairobi
1993-11-06 – 1993-11-07Visit SummitUganda · KampalaAgreement signedFunctional cooperation
1993-12-05 – 1993-12-08Visit SummitEgypt · Cairo
1993-12-05VisitEritrea · Asmara
1994-03-08 – 1994-03-09Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
1994-03-17 – 1994-03-19Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
1994-03-19 – 1994-03-20VisitZimbabwe · Harare
1994-05-10 – 1994-05-11VisitSouth Africa · Pretoria
1994-11-14 – 1994-11-15Visit SummitZambia · Lusaka
1995-03-06 – 1995-03-12Visit SummitDenmark · Copenhagen
1995-10-19 – 1995-10-20Visit SummitUnited States of America · Washington
1995-10-29 – 1995-11-03VisitChina · Beijing
1995-12-29VisitYemen · Sanaa
1996-01-21 – 1996-01-24VisitFrance · Paris
1996-06-24 – 1996-06-25Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
1996-07-08 – 1996-07-11Visit SummitCameroon · Yaoundé
1996-07-31 – 1996-08-01Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
1996-09-01 – 1996-09-30VisitKuwait · Kuwait CityAgreement signedAgreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments
1996-09-17 – 1996-09-21VisitJapan · Tokyo
1996-11-01Visit SummitBurkina Faso · Ouagadougou
1996-11-05Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
1996-11-25 – 1996-11-26Visit SummitDjibouti · Djibouti City
1997-03-05 – 1997-03-09VisitIndia · New DelhiAgreement signedTrade Agreement
1997-04-08 – 1997-04-12VisitItaly · Rome
1997-04-15 – 1997-04-16Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
1997-06-02 – 1997-06-04Visit SummitZimbabwe · Harare
1997-07-08 – 1997-07-09Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
1997-09-04Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
1998-01-23 – 1998-01-24Visit SummitUganda · Kampala
1998-03-16Visit SummitDjibouti · Djibouti City
1998-03-24 – 1998-03-27Visit SummitUganda · Entebbe
1998-06-01 – 1998-06-10Visit SummitBurkina Faso · Ouagadougou
1998-08-30VisitZimbabwe · Harare
1998-09-02 – 1998-09-03Visit SummitSouth Africa · Johannesburg
1998-10-19 – 1998-10-21Visit SummitJapan · Tokyo
1998-10-22 – 1998-10-26VisitMalaysia · Kuala Lumpur
1998-10-25 – 1998-10-28VisitSouth Korea · Seoul
Show all 221 engagements
DateTypeDestinationAgreements
1998-11-07 – 1998-11-08Visit SummitBurkina Faso · Ouagadougou
1998-12-17 – 1998-12-19Visit SummitBurkina Faso · Ouagadougou
1999-01-23 – 1999-01-24Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
1999-05-16 – 1999-05-18VisitLibya · Tripoli
1999-05-18 – 1999-05-19VisitEgypt · Cairo
1999-07-08 – 1999-07-09VisitLibya · Tripoli
1999-07-12 – 1999-07-14Visit SummitAlgeria · Algiers
1999-09-09 – 1999-09-10VisitLibya · Tripoli
1999-11-26Visit SummitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2000-01-17 – 2000-01-19Visit SummitGabon · Libreville
2000-03-09VisitKenya · Nairobi
2000-04-03 – 2000-04-04Visit SummitEgypt · Cairo
2000-06-29 – 2000-06-30VisitSudan · Khartoum
2000-07-10 – 2000-07-12Visit SummitTogo · Lomé
2000-07-18 – 2000-07-19Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2000-08-27VisitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2000-08-28Visit SummitTanzania · Arusha
2000-09-06 – 2000-09-08Visit SummitUnited States of America · New York
2000-10-10 – 2000-10-12Visit SummitChina · Beijing
2000-12-12VisitAlgeria · AlgiersAgreement signedPeace Treaty
2001-02-23Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2001-06-02VisitKenya · Nairobi
2001-07-08 – 2001-07-10Visit SummitZambia · Lusaka
2001-07-15VisitUnited States of America · Washington
2001-07-23Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2001-10-22 – 2001-10-24Visit SummitNigeria · Abuja
2001-10-25 – 2001-10-27Visit SummitBotswana · Gaborone
2001-10-27 – 2001-10-30VisitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2001-11-10VisitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2001-12-02 – 2001-12-04VisitRussia · MoscowAgreement signedDeclaration on Principles of Amicable Relations and PartnershipAgreement on the Education SectorProtocols and Consultative Agreements between MFAsMedium-term Development Program (Institutional Framework)
2002-01-07 – 2002-01-11Visit SummitSudan · Khartoum
2002-01-20 – 2002-01-22VisitAlgeria · Algiers
2002-02-05 – 2002-02-06VisitGermany · Berlin
2002-02-07 – 2002-02-08VisitIreland · Dublin
2002-02-08Visit SummitFrance · ParisAgreement signedEthiopia–France Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIT 2003)
2002-03-25VisitLibya · Tripoli
2002-03-25 – 2002-03-26Visit SummitNigeria · Abuja
2002-06-04 – 2002-06-08VisitBelgium · Brussels
2002-06-08 – 2002-06-12Visit SummitItaly · Rome
2002-07-06 – 2002-07-07VisitZimbabwe · Harare
2002-07-07 – 2002-07-11Visit SummitSouth Africa · Durban
2002-07-11 – 2002-07-14VisitBotswana · Gaborone
2002-10-14VisitYemen · Sanaa
2002-10-15 – 2002-10-16Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
2002-11-03 – 2002-11-04Visit SummitNigeria · Abuja
2002-12-01 – 2002-12-02Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2002-12-02 – 2002-12-05VisitUnited States of America · Washington
2003-01-22 – 2003-01-23Visit SummitGhana · Accra
2003-02-19 – 2003-02-20VisitFrance · ParisAgreement signedEthiopia–France BIT 2003
2003-02-20 – 2003-02-25VisitUnited Kingdom · London
2003-03-09Visit SummitNigeria · Abuja
2003-03-16 – 2003-03-17Visit SummitSudan · Khartoum
2003-07-09 – 2003-07-11Visit SummitMozambique · Maputo
2003-07-12 – 2003-07-14Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · London
2003-09-15Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2003-09-29 – 2003-10-01Visit SummitJapan · Tokyo
2003-10-23 – 2003-10-24Visit SummitUganda · Kampala
2003-11-15 – 2003-11-16Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2004-01-06VisitIsrael · Jerusalem
2004-02-13 – 2004-02-14Visit SummitRwanda · Kigali
2004-02-15VisitBurundi · Bujumbura
2004-02-26 – 2004-02-28Visit SummitLibya · Sirte
2004-04-06 – 2004-04-08VisitRwanda · Kigali
2004-04-26 – 2004-04-28VisitSouth Africa · Pretoria
2004-05-03 – 2004-05-05Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · London
2004-05-18VisitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2004-06-01 – 2004-06-05VisitIsrael · Jerusalem
2004-06-05Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2004-09-07 – 2004-09-08Visit SummitBurkina Faso · Ouagadougou
2004-10-13 – 2004-10-14VisitGhana · Accra
2004-10-14Visit SummitHungary · Balatonoszod
2004-10-31 – 2004-11-05VisitChina · BeijingAgreement signedFunctional cooperation
2004-11-10 – 2004-11-11VisitGermany · Berlin
2004-11-11 – 2004-11-12VisitAustria · Vienna
2004-11-18 – 2004-11-19VisitItaly · Rome
2004-11-22Visit SummitAlgeria · Algiers
2004-12-26 – 2004-12-28Visit SummitSudan · Khartoum
2005-02-22 – 2005-02-23VisitQatar · DohaAgreement signedFunctional cooperation
2005-02-23 – 2005-02-25Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · London
2005-03-27VisitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2005-04-14 – 2005-04-16VisitFrance · Paris
2005-04-16 – 2005-04-19Visit SummitEgypt · Sharm el-Sheikh
2005-07-02 – 2005-07-06Visit SummitLibya · Sirte
2005-07-06 – 2005-07-08Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · GleneaglesAgreement signedHigh-level politics
2005-08-06VisitSudan · Khartoum
2005-08-26VisitBurundi · Bujumbura
2005-09-03VisitNorway · Oslo
2005-09-15Visit SummitUnited States of America · New York
2005-11-06Visit SummitGermany · KonigswinterAgreement signedEthiopia–Germany Agreement on Reciprocal Protection of Investments (BIT 2004)
2005-11-14VisitIsrael · Jerusalem
2005-12-14 – 2005-12-15VisitSudan · Khartoum
2005-12-28 – 2005-12-29VisitYemen · Aden
2006-01-20 – 2006-01-24Visit SummitSudan · Khartoum
2006-02-04 – 2006-02-07VisitBelgium · Brussels
2006-02-09 – 2006-02-12Visit SummitSouth Africa · Johannesburg
2006-03-20Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
2006-06-30 – 2006-07-03Visit SummitGambia · Banjul
2006-08-28 – 2006-08-29VisitUganda · Kampala
2006-08-29 – 2006-08-30VisitKenya · Nairobi
2006-09-05Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
2006-09-08VisitLibya · Tripoli
2006-09-14 – 2006-09-16Visit SummitCuba · Havana
2006-11-04 – 2006-11-05Visit SummitChina · Beijing
2006-11-15 – 2006-11-16Visit SummitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2006-11-17VisitBelgium · Brussels
2006-12-09VisitSomalia · Mogadishu
2007-01-16VisitKenya · Nairobi
2007-02-07 – 2007-02-09VisitTurkey · AnkaraAgreement signedFunctional cooperation
2007-02-14 – 2007-02-16Visit SummitFrance · Cannes
2007-03-20 – 2007-03-21Visit SummitAlgeria · Algiers
2007-05-12 – 2007-05-13VisitKuwait · Kuwait City
2007-05-22 – 2007-05-23Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
2007-05-28VisitNigeria · Abuja
2007-06-05VisitSomalia · Mogadishu
2007-06-07 – 2007-06-08Visit SummitGermany · Heiligendamm
2007-06-30 – 2007-07-05Visit SummitGhana · Accra
2007-09-27Visit SummitUnited States of America · New York
2007-11-05 – 2007-11-07Visit SummitIndia · New DelhiAgreement signedEthiopia–India Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIT 2007)
2007-12-06 – 2007-12-07VisitSudan · Khartoum
2007-12-08 – 2007-12-09Visit SummitPortugal · Lisbon
2008-04-08 – 2008-04-09Visit SummitIndia · New Delhi
2008-04-14 – 2008-04-15Visit SummitSenegal · Dakar
2008-04-15 – 2008-04-17VisitUnited States of America · New York
2008-05-22 – 2008-05-23Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2008-05-26 – 2008-05-30Visit SummitJapan · Yokohama
2008-06-19VisitSouth Africa · Pretoria
2008-06-29 – 2008-06-30Visit SummitEgypt · Sharm el-Sheikh
2008-07-07 – 2008-07-09Visit SummitJapan · Tokyo
2008-08-19 – 2008-08-22Visit SummitTurkey · Ankara
2008-09-24 – 2008-09-28Visit SummitUnited States of America · New York
2008-10-28 – 2008-10-30VisitKenya · Nairobi
2008-11-27 – 2008-11-28VisitYemen · Sanaa
2008-12-30Visit SummitSudan · Khartoum
2009-02-04 – 2009-02-07Visit SummitIndia · New Delhi
2009-03-15 – 2009-03-17Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · London
2009-03-31 – 2009-04-02Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · LondonAgreement signedEthiopia–UK Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIT 2009)
2009-06-01Visit SummitTurkey · Ankara
2009-06-10 – 2009-06-11VisitEquatorial Guinea · Malabo
2009-07-04VisitRwanda · Kigali
2009-07-09 – 2009-07-10Visit SummitItaly · L'Aquila
2009-08-30 – 2009-09-02Visit SummitLibya · Sirte
2009-09-20 – 2009-09-26Visit SummitUnited States of America · Pittsburgh
2009-10-29Visit SummitNigeria · Abuja
2009-11-07 – 2009-11-09Visit SummitEgypt · Cairo
2009-12-15VisitFrance · Paris
2009-12-15 – 2009-12-18Visit SummitDenmark · Copenhagen
2010-03-09Visit SummitKenya · Nairobi
2010-03-31Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · London
2010-05-05 – 2010-05-07Visit SummitTanzania · Dar es Salaam
2010-05-31 – 2010-06-01Visit SummitFrance · Nice
2010-06-25 – 2010-06-27Visit SummitCanada · Huntsville
2010-07-13Visit SummitUnited States of America · New York
2010-07-19Visit SummitSpain · Madrid
2010-07-23 – 2010-07-26Visit SummitUganda · Kampala
2010-09-06VisitRwanda · Kigali
2010-09-19VisitSudan · Khartoum
2010-09-21Visit SummitUnited States of America · New York
2010-11-10 – 2010-11-11Visit SummitSouth Korea · Seoul
2010-12-08Visit SummitMexico · Cancun
2011-05-08VisitDjibouti · Djibouti City
2011-05-09 – 2011-05-11Visit SummitTurkey · Ankara
2011-05-12VisitUganda · Kampala
2011-05-26 – 2011-05-27Visit SummitFrance · Deauville
2011-06-29 – 2011-07-01Visit SummitEquatorial Guinea · Malabo
2011-08-14 – 2011-08-15VisitChina · BeijingAgreement signedEmergency Food Aid and Economic Cooperation AgreementCooperation Agreement on Infrastructure and EnergyBilateral Technical and Technology Transfer Agreement
2011-08-21 – 2011-08-22VisitSudan · Khartoum
2011-09-09Visit SummitKenya · NairobiAgreement signedLAPSSET Corridor Development Authority Agreement
2011-09-16VisitSudan · Khartoum
2011-09-16 – 2011-09-18VisitEgypt · Cairo
2011-10-09VisitEgypt · Cairo
2011-10-10 – 2011-10-12Visit SummitNorway · Oslo
2011-11-03Visit SummitFrance · Cannes
2011-11-28 – 2011-12-01VisitSouth Korea · Seoul
2011-12-06Visit SummitSouth Africa · Durban
2012-01-26 – 2012-01-27Visit SummitSwitzerland · Davos
2012-02-18Visit SummitBenin · Cotonou
2012-02-23Visit SummitUnited Kingdom · London
2012-03-01 – 2012-03-02VisitKenya · NairobiAgreement signedLamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor AgreementRegional Infrastructure and Energy Interconnection PactTechnical Assistance and Transaction Advisory Services Framework
2012-05-18 – 2012-05-19Visit SummitUnited States of America · Washington
2012-06-18 – 2012-06-19Visit SummitMexico · Los Cabos
2012-07-01 – 2012-08-20VisitBelgium · Brussels

Cite this profile

Ozturk, Y., Atabas, H., Guler, E., Duyar, B., & Yucel, R. (2026). Leaders' Visits & Agreements Database [Data set]. Africa Foundation. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22898778 [Meles Zenawi leader profile. Accessed 26 September 2026. https://lead-database.netlify.app/leaders/meles-zenawi.html]