Ethiopia-Jamaica relations are the bilateral relations between Jamaica and Ethiopia.
Origins In 1948, the Shashamane Land Grant by Emperor Haile Selassie I to members of the Ethiopian World Federation led to a large Jamaican settlement in the village of Shashamane, earning it the nickname "Little Jamaica".
Haile Selassie's first visit
Haile Selassie visited Jamaica on Thursday, April 21, 1966. He was greeted at the airport with crowds playing drums and smoking large quantities of marijuana.Dread, The Rastafarians of Jamaica, by Joseph Owens ISBN He was driven to the King's House to take up residence as the guest of Jamaican Prime Minister Donald Sangster and Governor-General Clifford Campbell.White, p. 211. He later addressed the Parliament of Jamaica, received the Key to the City of Spanish Town by Commissioner Eustice Bird, and visited Jamaica College. During the visit, Rastafari representatives were present at all state functions attended by His Majesty.Rastafari: From Outcasts to Culture Bearers Page 86 by Ennis Barrington EdmondsVerbal Riddim: The Politics and Aesthetics of African-Caribbean Dub Poetry, page 83 by Christian Habekost The visit drew crowds of some 100,000 Rastafari who descended on Kingston's Palisadoes Airport. Today the Rastafari celebrate as Grounation Day.
Revival of relations On 13 June 2016, Ethiopian foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom paid an official visit to Jamaica, the first by an Ethiopian official in 50 years.
Diplomatic missions Neither country has a resident ambassador. Ethiopia is accredited to Jamaica from its embassy in Havana, Cuba and maintains an honorary consulate in Kingston.New Ethiopian Ambassador to Jamaica Ayele Lire Jijamo presents his credentialConsular Posts in Jamaica: Ethiopia Jamaica is accredited to Ethiopia from its high commission in Pretoria, South Africa and maintains an honorary consulate in Addis Ababa.High Commission of Jamaica in South AfricaJamaican Honorary Consuls: Ethiopia
References