ADDIS ABABA-The Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MoFA) concluded the restructuring of its organs and assignment of staffs in what it described as a ‘major departure’ reform with new appointments of Ambassadors and Diplomats to be divulged shortly, the Ministry disclosed .
The new reform into the organizational structures and missionaries was carried out in a bid to meet the present day’s diplomacy and foreign relations demands thereby ensuring national interest, Ministry Spokesperson Meles Alem told journalists yesterday in his weekly press briefing.
Diplomats at the ministry’s directorate general offices as well as over 200 diplomats across 59 embassies and consular offices have been reshuffled The reform can be described as a “major departure” as it brings new goal oriented operating system to the head office and 59 missions, Meles added. There will also be new appointments of Ambassadors and Diplomats in line with representing the image of Ethiopia on the ground, he said, adding: “Major consideration is given for professionalism and diplomatic skills.”
The reform is part of ongoing efforts to foster political alliance, strengthen economic cooperation, scale up citizens’ protection abroad and upgrade consular service both for citizens and foreign nationals. “In order to correctly effectuate the reform, we have made studies to identify strategic areas of specific interests in which all Embassies and Consular missions will have their own specializations in accordance to strategic locations.”
Consequently, senior and high profile diplomats will be deployed in neighboring countries to pursue Ethiopia’s effective policy towards the countries on the basis of “Good neighborhood and Zero Discord”. Meanwhile, Meles also told journalists that the ministry has been working for the release and safe return of 2,000 citizens locked behind bars in Yemen, Libya, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, while 205 people have been repatriated recently.
The Ethiopian Herald, November 30/2018
BY YOSEF KETEMA
