SEMERA, Ethiopia, 21st September, 2026 (WAM) -- The Second Ethiopia International Date Palm Festival 2026, organised by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in cooperation with Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture, opened on Sunday under the patronage of Addisu Arega Kitessa, Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

The festival is supported by Erth Zayed Philanthropies, an affiliate of the Presidential Court, and coordinated with the UAE Embassy in Addis Ababa.

The opening ceremony of the festival, which is being held in the Afar Region and runs until 22nd September, was attended by Awol Arba undie, President of Afar National Regional State; Abdalla Hassan Alshamsi, UAE Ambassador to Ethiopia; and Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with Erth Zayed Philanthropies.

Members of the diplomatic corps in Ethiopia and a large number of experts, researchers, specialists and date producers also attended.

The festival is being held in coordination with a number of regional and international organisations.

President of Afar National Regional State expressed his profound appreciation to the UAE for its continued support and cooperation with Ethiopia. He commended the efforts of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in organising the festival, transferring expertise and knowledge, and supporting the development of the date palm sector, as well as the contributions of all organisations, institutions and partners involved in the initiative.

For his part, Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid said the Award's efforts are an extension of the UAE's vision under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and are inspired by the agricultural and humanitarian legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in supporting food security and sustainable agricultural development, strengthening international partnerships, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise.

The ceremony concluded with a tour of the exhibition pavilions, where attendees viewed some of Ethiopia's most prominent date varieties, traditional date palm products, and the latest equipment and technologies used in cultivation and processing, amid strong public turnout and broad community participation.

The exhibition features 48 pavilions and 55 exhibitors from seven date-producing and processing countries: the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Mauritania, Ethiopia and Trkiye.