Ethiopians in Washington are expected to turn out in large numbers Thursday to greet Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is making his first U.S. visit after instituting a series of transformative reforms in his homeland.

Upon arriving in Washington, Ethiopia’s foreign minister, Workneh Gebeyehu, said the delegation’s trip was historic. “This is the first-ever visit by [an] Ethiopian prime minister to visit diaspora Ethiopians

Now, Abiy is connecting with Ethiopians in the U.S. to promote his reforms and encourage diasporans to return home and add to the changes unfolding.