It had been taken during Italy's fascist era during the occupation of what was then Abyssinia, eventually going on display in the Italian Aviation Museum in Rome.

It was formally given to Prime Minister Aby Ahmed at a ceremony in Rome and he said it marked "a day of great pride" for the country.

Known as Tsehai, the green, red and yellow aircraft is said to have been named after then-Emperor Haile Selassie's daughter.