Social scientists boldly agreed that, no country is self-sufficient in the world. Meaning everyone needs something from each other. Thus, world populations since city state time and empires, and now countries have been engaging in external relations. This engagement is also very much important for their survival and development.
Based on this fact, countries let their foreign or international business to specific specialized organizations or agencies, like foreign ministry or external affairs. The execution of their foreign policy and national interest achievements are also mostly depend on such institution’s capability. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) , which has history of over century, is the institution that is responsible for Ethiopia’s international engagement. The ministry has remarkable achievements in its history. In making Ethiopia exceptional to colonization, maintaining its territorial integration, in making Ethiopia one among the founder of UN, AU and many other international institutions and the like.
Recently MOFA has disclosed that it has been making breakthrough reform, in order to execute nation’s external relations and keep national interest producing capable and qualified diplomats. The Ministry’s Spokesperson, Meles Alem, recently told the press that; “The current reform could be said that major departure, in the history of the ministry.” As to him, the current reform addresses both the ministry office and its diplomatic missions abroad.
The change that has been carrying out in terms of reshuffling of staffs and appointing many other new diplomats and ambassadors with specialization of embassies. He said that based on the feature of world politics and the status of citizens abroad, the embassies missions have to be diversified. The appointments of new diplomats and head of diplomats will include intellectuals, academicians, renowned public figures and others. He also underlined the appointment is mainly based on professionalism, skill and knowledge of the individuals. Meles also said that this reform will enable the ministry office to coup up with its mission to execute nation’s foreign policy and serving national interest, in a very capable and effective way.
MOFA is working to be the institution effectively serve national interest and to be pride of citizens, he added. For this he said that, there are four basic specialization areas have been identified for embassies and consuls. The first area is in creating political alliances. He said that Ethiopia needs dependable political partnership with countries, and there are target groups in different parts of the world and some of the embassies more will focus on this. The second one is Economic partnership.
MOFA should effectively work on supporting Ethiopia’s economic development plan. And this effort will be cascaded by embassies concern for attraction of foreign direct investment by promoting our untapped potential. The other thing to do in this field is to attract tourists to lands of origin Ethiopia. And another very important area is to work on strengthening Ethiopia’s export share, by searching more market options for Ethiopia’s product. For this and other economic diplomacy, the spokesperson mentioned embassies found in countries such as Middle East, China, Europe and America. Thirdly he mentioned that, currently it is believed that more than three million Ethiopians are living abroad, and therefore, embassies will take special mission to safeguard citizens abroad and beyond that to ensure their participation in all development aspects of the nation, saying; “The development activity that doesn not involve our citizens abroad can’t be successful.”
The Ethiopian diaspora is mainly living in North America, Middle East, Europe, African countries and in others, he noted. The last one is consular service that embassies and consuls will provide for citizens and others. As to him, some embassies will specialize on all of them and the others are on some of them. Unlike the past time, with the new reform, the ministry said that Ethiopia will give more and more concern for neighboring countries, by appointing senior diplomats with the mission to zero discord and economic integration. Mentioning t MOFA’s golden diplomats like well known leaders like Aklilu Habtewold, King Haile Silassie I, Dr Tewodros Adhanom, Prime Minister Haile Mariam Dessalegn and many others, in the future he said; “We will continue by giving focus on producing experts and specialized diplomats, unlike we focus now on generalist approach.” With careful analysis of the day’s international situation, it is good move MOFA to take such reforms, in line with the reform the country is taking on. However, according to different sources, MOFA still needs to work on producing diplomats who are well disciplined and love their country beyond personal motives.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 4,2018
BY YOSEF KETEMA
