Coffee and volcano, why take a trip to Ethiopia?

"I invite Chinese to visit very beautiful Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2024, and many Ethiopians to visit very nice and beautiful China." 

Dawano Kedir, deputy head of mission of the Ethiopian embassy to China, welcomed Chinese tourists to make plans to visit adventurous places in Ethiopia in an interview with CGTN reporter Shen Shiwei.

On the visa issue, Dawano Kedir told CGTN that Chinese tourists can now get visas either through online application or visa-on-arrival. He noted that the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa is a gateway bridging China and African countries, and said tourists can take a trip nearby during the transit period.

China is a very important market for Ethiopian Airlines, the country's national flag carrier and one of the largest airliners in Africa. Currently, Ethiopian Airlines' passenger flights fly to the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and Hong Kong.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and drinking coffee is a part of everyday life for Ethiopians. 

Its speciality Arabica coffee is a favorite worldwide for its superb aroma and flavor. For millions of Ethiopians, the day starts with a cup of coffee. But there's so much more to coffee than drinking. Around traditional coffee ceremonies, families, friends, and even strangers get together for a sip and chat about just about everything.

"We are the origin of coffee, but it has its own traditional way of making (it). It's a special ceremony, not with a machine, but it's made by the hands and in different ways. Tourists can enjoy the coffee wherever they go when they are out of the airport," Dawano Kedir explains.

The Ethiopian coffee ceremony involves three distinct brewing rounds, each with a unique name and meaning. The first round, called Abol, produces the strongest and most flavorful coffee. The second round, Tona, is milder, as the same coffee grounds are used for brewing. Finally, the third round, Bereka, is the lightest and serves as a signal that the ceremony is coming to an end. The progression of these rounds represents the deepening of relationships and conversations among participants.

Ethiopia has over 3,000 years of history and it has one of the oldest civilizations in Africa. The fossilized bones of a female of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis named "Lucy" were discovered in 1974, making her the earliest known hominid, dating back 3.2 million years. Dawano Kedir recommends that tourists can take a tour at museums in Ethiopia where they can learn more about the history and culture of not only about Ethiopia, but also the whole of Africa.

Ethiopia has many UNESCO sites, including Lalibela with its rock-cut Christian churches from the 12th–13th centuries. Aksum is the ruins of an ancient city with obelisks, tombs, castles and Our Lady Mary of Zion church.

Dawano Kedir also recommends a visit to the African Union headquarters, a milestone of China-Africa friendship as it's one of the largest aid projects of the Chinese government in Africa. In Addis Ababa, tourists can also take a tour of many beautiful parks like the Friendship Park built by Chinese companies.

Boasting lush vegetation from all over Ethiopia, the Friendship Park is combined with Chinese garden design and modern fountain facilities. It's become a beloved destination for locals. Its design blends traditional Chinese garden aesthetic with elements of Ethiopian culture. Featured at the center is a world map which highlights Ethiopia in red, symbolizing humanity's journey from there to the rest of world.

On the security issue for travelers to Ethiopia, and measures taken by Ethiopian governments to ensure the safety of tourists, Dawano Kedir emphasized that there are incidents in some places in the country's northern areas, but those are temporary problems and he assured that the security of Ethiopia is fine and the government is in control of everything.