Act of subtlety or diplomacy has happened since the existence of the human race as human being is a social animal the idea holds a big picture and scope when certain statehood has formed associations with others. An ambassador in turn is the highest-ranking representative of a given country to a specific nation or international organization overseas.
An effective ambassador has to be a strong leader—a good manager, a resilient negotiator, and a respected representative of their respective nations, who diligently fosters diplomacy. The very core point that has revolved around the essence of diplomacy is no country can establish diplomatic relations against their national intersect, neither can individuals.
Ethiopia has deployed ambassadors, consulate office heads and missions representatives since it set up bilateral ties with a number of countries across the globe. There are a number of reasons to do so. Since Ethiopia, as the case of other developed and/or developing states, would like to run streamlined trade, economic, social, political as well cultural spheres taking advantage of the effect of globalization, it has founded as well as renewed the bilateral and trilateral ties it has had with many countries.
In the harshest logic, Ethiopian ambassadors represent their country in an official capacity in foreign nations and communities. They are in charge of protecting and promoting national interests, maintaining diplomacy, organizing visits, welcoming visitors, and supporting resolutions. If an Ethiopian living or visiting abroad gets into legal trouble of some sort, it is the duty of the ambassadors or consulate offices heads to ensure the stated citizen is preserved reasonably.
Ethiopia has certainly used ambassadorships as a way to thank their friends and supporters. One part of our ambassadors’ jobs is to ingratiate themselves to foreign countries by providing funding for local programs, be it building schools or training midwives to assist pregnant women. In these cases, celebrity status can be more beneficial than a graduate degree in international economics.
This writer came across Solomon Mekonnen, who is a Political Science and International Relations graduate at Mekele University the day before yesterday and talked to him about diplomacy and the role of ambassadors. He said, “Ambassadors have a wide range of responsibilities dealing with foreign relations. Each task is carried out in a diplomatic manner that has been frame to meet the needs of the ambassadors’ home lands while keeping a positive relationship with that country.”
One of the most important responsibilities of an ambassador is to notify their home country of any economic and political developments in the host nation. They write detailed reports in order to communicate foreign development, especially in the area of trade policies, people-to-people ties, government-to-government assistances and other related aspects thereby buttressing areas fueling win-win slant.
Because of their unique relationship with the host nation, ambassadors are able to help in the development of foreign policy with that nation. All of these actions are meant to protect their place of origin’s interests within the host nation.Another responsibility of an ambassador is to act as a representative of their country. As representatives, they offer up their home country’s position on many political, social, and economic platforms and meet with important political leaders and greet or host other diplomats, he added.
Ambassadors also help travellers from their home country, explain foreign policy and evacuate refugees from dangerous situations. Because of the sensitive nature of their careers, ambassadors carry out their duties with a diplomatic demeanor, with the goal of keeping a positive relationship between the country that is hosting them and their land of origin. The deeds of our consulate offices and missions of Ethiopia in the Arab world following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is a case in point in this regard, he substantiated.
Ambassadors have to have a tendency to be artistic individuals, which mean they are creative, intuitive, sensitive, articulate, and expressive. They are unstructured, original, nonconforming, and innovative. Some of them are also enterprising, i.e. they are ambitious, adventurous, energetic, assertive, extroverted, confident and optimistic.
Their role is also of paramount importance in smoothing out the relationship between countries via attending treaty negotiations, immigration discussions, international meetings etc. They have spent most of their time in meetings with either staff members, foreign diplomats or host country officials and writing up reports and implementing international programs in office.
According to Solomon, it is crystal clear that the working environment in which ambassadors are engaged varies from country to country. A key role of an ambassador is to coordinate the activities not only of the foreign facility heads and representatives as well as staff serving under him, but also representatives of other agencies in the country.
As to Solomon, Ambassadors are also in charge of directing and coordinating all executive branch offices and personnel are, cooperating with the country’s legislative and judicial branches so that Ethiopian foreign policy goals are advanced. In so doing, security is maintained and executive, legislative and judicial responsibilities are carried out.
They are most of the time carefully using mission resources through regular reviews of programs, personnel, and funding levels as well as reshaping the mission to serve Ethiopian interests and values and to ensure that all executive branch agencies attached to the mission do likewise.
He said, “Ambassadors are expected to cultivate relationships locally, nationally and regionally in order to champion social service workforce strengthening efforts. Through relationships with key stakeholders across sectors, ambassadors will strive to inform strategy and influence national policy to develop, plan and support this workforce.”
Ambassadors will also have regular access to legislative and policy briefs, technical publications, information on engaging with current and new members and groups, opportunities to participate in events and avenues for sharing skills and experiences with a wider audience.
The diplomatic relationship between Ethiopia and other countries targets at strengthening democratic institutions and expanding human rights, spurring broad-based economic growth and promoting development as well as advancing regional peace and security.
He further elucidated that Ethiopia’s partnership with many world countries helps improve the capacity of Ethiopians to deliver basic services and promote an environment conducive to improved food security and resilience.
The act of conducting negotiations between two persons, or two nations at a large scope is essential to the upkeep of international affairs. Among the many functions of diplomacy, some include preventing war and violence, and fortifying relations between two nations, he opined.
In sum, diplomacy is most importantly used to complete a specific agenda. Therefore without diplomacy, much of the world’s affairs would be abolished, international organizations would not exist, and above all the world would be at a constant state of war. It is for diplomacy that certain countries can exist in harmony.
Every corner of the world has been employing diplomacy for the maintenance of the international system as many nations would not be able to conduct successful negotiations without it. In fact it does have many functions that make diplomacy an essential ingredient for any peaceful and efficient change.
BY MENGESHA AMARE
The Ethiopian Herald May 26/2021
