Ethiopia is turning to Africa’s biggest mass-participation sporting event to raise its international profile ahead of hosting the 32nd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP32). The move follows a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Great Ethiopian Run.
The memorandum of understanding provides for the use of major running events to promote COP32, engage communities and showcase Ethiopia’s sporting and tourism potential.
Founded in 2001 by Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie, the Great Ethiopian Run has grown into Africa’s largest road race, drawing tens of thousands of participants to Addis Ababa. Its flagship 10km event, to be held on November 22, is expected to welcome a record 60,000 runners.
Under the agreement, the annual race and the Discover Ethiopia Classics series will serve as platforms for raising awareness of COP32 and extending engagement beyond the capital. The conference is scheduled for November 8 to 19, 2027, in Addis Ababa.
The regional series was established in 2021 by the Great Ethiopian Run in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism. It pairs road races with opportunities to experience Ethiopia’s cultural heritage and natural attractions, and its 2026 programme covered six destinations: Debre Berhan, Hawassa, Jimma, Bekoji, Arba Minch and Harar.
The partnership comes as the Great Ethiopian Run expands its youth programmes. For the 2026 edition, organisers allocated 3,000 free entries to Grade 12 students and enlarged the children’s races to accommodate up to 5,000 primary-school participants, part of wider efforts to open organised running to younger generations.
The event also enters a new phase of international sponsorship, with Bank of America becoming its presenting partner under a multi-year agreement. The deal covers the flagship 10km and children’s races, and the bank will also support the Women’s First 5km from 2027. The partnership is expected to strengthen the event’s international reach and support its running programmes.
Beyond COP32 promotion, the agreement names youth development, grassroots participation and the nurturing of emerging athletic talent as areas of cooperation. These priorities build on Ethiopia’s long-standing reputation in distance running while extending organised sporting opportunities to communities nationwide.
Youth and Sport Minister Dr Akililu Tadesse said the agreement showed how sport can link national sporting activities with Ethiopia’s international engagement, including its COP32 preparations. He also pointed to its contribution to youth development, community participation and economic opportunities.
Great Ethiopian Run Chief Executive Officer Dagmawit Amare echoed that view. “The Memorandum of Understanding reflects our shared commitment to using sport as a major platform in Ethiopia’s preparations for COP32 and aligning national sporting activities with the country’s international engagement,” she said. “It also highlights the broader contribution sport makes to youth development, community participation and economic opportunities.”
The agreement adds a mass-participation and community-engagement dimension to Ethiopia’s COP32 preparations.
