Ethiopia has been at the center of the skillful navigation of the international relations crucial for the AU member states. It stresses that global partnerships should be based on equality of all partners rather than a differential approach. This approach widens existing inequalities between developing and developed countries of the world.
Ethiopia has been pushing for the equal treatment of all African countries in meeting their economic and social needs. It is behind the AU’s engagements with international partners in securing developmental assistance for Africa. This assistance has to be focused on exploring and developing the natural resources of the continent for the benefit of all Africans.
The people of this continent are currently suffering from poverty, unemployment, and a shortage of income to meet their basic needs. These are lack of food, shelter, health and education facilities, and other necessities that are critical for the survival of the people. Ethiopia is, therefore, determined to support the AU’s engagement with international partners that are ready to support the economic and social development of Africa.
In a rapidly changing global order, Africa is bound to be faced with immense risks to its peace and security. In this situation, the AU is forced to create and strengthen its relationships with global powers. Of course, these powerful partners have their vested interest to be in touch with African countries, including Ethiopia, that are rich in their natural endowments, particularly mineral resources. These are essential inputs for the production of tech goods that are needed by the industrialized countries.
In this process, the AU is focusing on engagement with these countries and the global organizations to strengthen global partnerships for peace and security that foster economic development. These are its priorities, which are part of its institutional reform process that focuses on global relationships. How the AU navigates this partnership is very critical with respect to the pressure to increasingly play a role as the voice of Africa on the global stage. This measure requires partnership skills and drivers on behalf of the people of the continent.
Partnership of AU is strengthened by important institutions at various levels. In this endeavor, the Peace and Security Council (PSC), for example, should expand and develop a strong peace and security partnership. This partnership takes place between the AU and the UN and its agencies and with several global organizations. It has strengthened its cooperation with countries that are its biggest contributors of funds to its peace and security operations. It also has partnerships with the UN, multilateral and bilateral organizations that have made the biggest contribution to its budget.
AU has continued to rely heavily on partners to fund its activities. Experts have revealed that two-third of its budget is from external sources. This indicates that the AU is closely and positively connected with the developed countries and international institutions that are keen to support the growth and development of African countries.
One of the major contributors of funds to the AU is the European Union. The relationship between the two institutions has been formalized through summits and regular interactions at official levels. Official and regular contacts and exchange of information are the features of the joint consultative meetings between the PSC and the EU. Joint missions have been undertaken by senior officials of the AU, EU, and UN on a periodic basis.
The AU-UN conference was held, and high-level dialogues were conducted between the AU and the superpowers, among others. The AU-UN partnership is based on the joint framework for enhanced partnership in peace and security and the joint framework for the implementation of Agenda 2063. It is also based on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Within these frameworks, both the AU and UN have gathered resources based on enhanced coordination, consultations, and joint assessment. They have designed and developed common strategies on some of the most pressing peace, security, and governance challenges in Africa. These strategies also include the application of sanctions in countries engaged in conflicts.
The AU has become more active in ensuring that its collaboration and involvement with the UN adds more value to its own efforts. It has endeavored to communicate the common African positions to all its global partners. It has made noteworthy efforts to align PSC and UN Security Council (UNSC) decisions. The AU has coordinated and defended common African positions on important global issues through its members in the UNSC. While the results of this partnership have been strengthened considerably over the past years, the PSC has continued to register complaints about an “unequal relationship” and of being marginalized in the UNSC.
Yet, the AU has a long-lasting collaboration with the superpowers on peace, security, democracy, governance, economic growth and climate. These powers have backed recent AU efforts to resolve the wars, conflicts and skirmishes that have been prevalent in the Horn of Africa.
At the inaugural Democracy Summit, several AU member states have committed themselves to supporting democratic initiatives. The superpowers have also committed to cooperating with the AU on peace and security by sending forces for peacekeeping operations in African countries. They have also continued to provide the AU with technical assistance, capacity building, tech and other means to help it prevent or combat piracy, terrorism, and other security concerns that affect the African continent.
Ethiopia has been one of the countries that contributed forces to combat terrorism in Africa, particularly in the Horn area. It has also participated actively in collaborating and exchanging information on regional security, logistical support, and training. Ethiopia has also fully supported the AU measures of precaution regarding reliance on non-African forces. The AU has struggled to move beyond engaging its peace and security partners. Its continued dependence on these forces and other global partners for funding has led to wide gaps in setting priorities. This dependence has also led to misplace the ownership of the peace and security agenda of the African continent.
The AU has been struggling to engage beyond its traditional security partners by establishing an African peace fund for reliable and predictable funding. Despite this effort, its member countries’ goal of financing one quarter of Africa’s peace and security activities has remained short of expectation. They have not been able to fully ensure the financial autonomy of the AU. In this situation, it has been necessary to resolve the issue of how African contributions would better support AU peace operations in countries lacking peace and security.
In the past, the partnerships have been driven largely by the priorities of global partners. They normally reaffirm their commitment to peace and security in Africa, especially the fight against terrorism. It allows the partners to fund directly a broad range of continental peace and security operations. These activities include African military coalitions and national armies and navies. The global partners channel funds through official organs that would drive terrorists out of the continent.
Decisions and results of AU and global partners are based on the strategic interests of member states, including Ethiopia. The decisions are based on country or region specific situations. The AU partnership with global institutions is to resolve crucial issues such as securing donor contributions for AU managed peace and security operations. This operation is conducted on a more equitable representation of Africa at the UN Security Council.
Also, there is a geopolitical competition in having representation in this Council. There is also an indication that the AU partnership with superpowers is driven largely by geopolitical competition with other countries. New strategies designed by these powers for Africa promote openness, transparency and accountability. They also focus on strengthening democracy and reducing regional instability in the continent. The strategies also focus on advancing economic opportunities and tackling the continent’s climate crisis. Every superpower aims at countering the expanding influence of other powers in the African countries, including Ethiopia, that are influential in the continent.
The need for a sound strategy for interaction with international partners is crucial for Africa. The AU’s strategy is coherent in engaging partners of different interests. Its relations with certain developed countries may be broad with no clear focus on peace and security. These countries may be supporting the strengthening of the peace and security partnership with AU. They may engage in efforts to preserve democratic principles, implementation of the gender equality, youth education and training. They may also focus on issues of peace and security and armed conflicts in the continent.
Some of the developed countries also concentrate on African economic and social development. With these situations, the AU has been focusing on the quality of its partnerships with developed countries. To ensure more peace and security dividends, it has been open and clear on how to deal with emerging challenges. It is noted that these challenges would undermine the effectiveness of the AU’s external partnership and cooperation.
Ethiopia has been fully supportive of a sound strategy for AU interaction with international partners. It has been fully supportive of partnership strategy and policy framework that would reorient the existing and emerging needs of Africa.
Ethiopia has the objective of bolstering AU’s capacity to plan, program and manage peace and security of all African countries. Its financial management, control, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been enhanced to engage donors in proper funding for peace and security. The implementation of AU decisions on financing peace and security activities is expected to promote continental economic and social development.
Likewise, the AU’s involvement in preventing human rights violations in the continent has been remarkable. It has demonstrated its commitment to the promotion and preservation of human rights through its partnership with the developed countries and international organizations and African countries. Among these countries, Ethiopia has been the one committed to the preservation of peace, security, law, and order in Africa, with a focus on the Horn region. Also, it fully backs the AU engagement with international partners for securing peace at the global level.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY GETACHEW MINAS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 20 APRIL 2025
