Ethiopia has gone through various reforms since the assumption of power of the current incumbent six years ago. Among others, the reforms include Ethiopia’s foreign relations in which it has registered diplomatic advancement. As the global political, economic and social landscape is dynamic, any state needs to undergo reform to go along with the world’s trend and Ethiopia is not exceptional.
Endorsing the reality on the ground, Ethiopia has tirelessly worked to make its diplomatic relations led by professionals. Professionalism in diplomacy is the dictate of the time to ensure the country’s national interests. To this end, Ethiopia exerted great effort on assigning professional diplomats across the globe and the outcome showcases the effort is bearing fruits in terms of strengthened bilateral and multilateral relations with different countries.
Indeed, Ethiopian diplomats have been doing professionally what their country expects from them in the areas of investment attraction, trade relations, searching markets for Ethiopian products and facilitating aids and loans necessary to accelerate the economic progress.
In this new era of diplomatic activities, engagement in digital diplomacy has become the order of the day. Taking into account the traditional way of diplomacy does not take anywhere, Ethiopia’s diplomatic relations has taken digital diplomacy as a part of the reform and assigned well trained diplomats in the digital area. Providing appropriate training is taken as a part of the reform to produce new diplomats that have the knowhow of the modern technology and easily adoptable with it.
This strategic move has not been in vain. It is bearing fruit in creating strategic partnership with many countries in all corners of the world. As a result, Ethiopia today could make strategic relationship with the countries from the west and the east as well as from the north and south of which some are all weather strategic partnership.
Reform in the country’s foreign relation is a must do action not only to protect its national interests towards the foreign world, but also to shoulder unpredictable happenings in the ever changing world. The reform has come to Ethiopia with the opportunities of maximizing its friends while minimizing its enemies starting from the neighboring countries and expanding to the oversea world.
Predominantly, its diplomatic relations with any country and the neighboring countries in particular, made its foundation on ensuring mutual benefit. The effort it is making to integrate these countries with energy, infrastructure and other economic sectors is among movements that oil the wheel.
Apart from Ethiopia’s peaceful diplomatic journey, however, some countries have chosen distractive way opposing Ethiopia’s interest. They stand against its endeavor of using its own resource like opposing the construction of hydropower generation plants and its historical, justified and legitimate use of sea access. In any case, Ethiopia gives the upper hand for diplomatic and peaceful solution to the matter like the way it has chosen in the case of Somalia.
Be it is, in advance preparedness for any unexpected situation in terms of defending national interest and sovereignty is not put aside. Along with strengthening diplomatic activities, Ethiopia wants to inform those run up and down to destabilize the Horn of African region and Ethiopia, to think twice before going a step forward. Ethiopia’s reform includes modernizing its defense force making ready for any kind of un-peaceful activity.
In a nutshell, Ethiopia’s reform in foreign relations makes its foundation on peaceful bilateral and multilateral relations and ensuring mutual benefits. It desires other parties should also recognize this genuine move and go accordingly.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2024
