Greek Ethiopians in Addis Ababa

The first presence of a Greek community in Ethiopia dates back to the beginning of the 18th century with the arrival of Greek craftsmen and sailors in what was then Abyssinia.

The Greek community currently numbers about 300 people. Most of them are of mixed heritage, born to Greek fathers and Ethiopian mothers. In many cases, the fathers, unaware of the proper procedures, did not register their children at the Greek embassy, leaving them without Greek citizenship. Their story reflects both the connections and the gaps between heritage, identity, and bureaucracy.

After decades of prosperity, when around 7,000 Greeks lived in Ethiopia, the 1974 Derg revolution abruptly ended this era. The new communist government confiscated property and created fear, prompting many Greeks to leave the country.