Doul Riach 
Endale Nigussie-Head SDIR 
Naol Lemma
For the past couple of months now, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has been undergoing successive reforms. Via such a move MoFA sought cultivating a robust and sustainable foreign diplomacy. It also aimed at crys talizing peace and security by prioritizing the country’s national interest.
The reform continues focusing on structural reforms, human power placement and reshuffle as well as infrastructural and capacity building of MoFA. The appointment of new ambassadors and missionaries was handled in the course of the past couple of months. Diplomats were made to report to the central office.
Moreover, during the new appointment of diplomats MoFA took into consideration the representation of competent and ethical Ethiopians from the wide spectrum of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples.
While undertaking the appointment of director generals, higher officials and ambassadors that will represent the new Ethiopia as per the reform, MoFA put at the center stage professionalism in the sector, wisdom, dynamism and integerity.
Following the reform, citizens of the aforementioned nature were appointed for higher posts.
Ethiopian Civil Service University (ECSU) School of Diplomacy and International Relations (SDIR) Head and Lecturer Endale Nigussie told The Ethiopian Herald that Ethiopia is the oldest state and its contribution to the world regarding administration and diplomacy is significant. As the country is the nerve center of the African and Middle East politics, it is fundamental to outshine in the diplomatic arena, he added.
As to him, the country is expected to do more along with cultivating the Horn of Africa’s diplomacy via competency and maintaining a smooth and sustainable diplomacy in the region. The government must give due priority to merit-based appointment of diplomats and. The diplomats should also be aware of the national interest to entertain a healthier diplomatic relations with other countries. Thus, it will be in the hands of Ethiopia to beef up the region’s chemistry and integration, he underscored.
He stressed the need to maintain the region’s political scenario with the soft power [Diplomacy] along with integrating Eastern Africa and other regions together through implementing timely policies and strategies.
“Ethiopia is playing a significant role via sharing its resources like the yearlong flowing and longest river Blue Nile with Egypt. Ethiopia is the epicenter that interconnects different countries together. The presence of numerous regional and international organizations in the capital [Addis Ababa], its conducive climatic condition, its being the fastest growing economy with the second African largest population allows the country to reap more in the diplomatic sector”, he noted.
For him, integrating Africa and the global community here [Ethiopia] is a simplest task for the country via installing proper mechanisms.
Currently, the School of Diplomacy and International Relations (SDIR) under the Ethiopian Civil Service University (ECSU) is contributing more in stepping up diplomats’ international competency through providing up to date training and education opportunities to students from across the East African region, he said.
According to him, the school was established in 2013 by admitting more than 35 students in regular program. It aimed at cultivating the country’s diplomatic relations with its neighbors and other countries. The school admits students from more than 12 African countries. It is pressing ahead with continuously providing substantial education in diplomacy and international relations.
“Diplomacy is a sensitive sector that seeks special contemplation of its practitioners who need to be assisted by successive sectorial education and training”, he emphasized.
He stressed that the establishment of this department at ECSU is attracting more students from different neighboring countries year after year, adding that, more than 129 students through different program; 42 regular, 60 weekend and 27 evening are now attending classes in the school.
It is evident that the school is winning credence among students and it will buttress Ethiopia’s pushes of nurturing robust diplomacy in the region, he said.
Trainers from the MoFA and other countries are also acquiring continuous diplomacy and related training in the university.
Since diplomacy is instrumental in promoting global integration and knowledge filling skill gaps and promoting professional ethics plays indispensable role to lead the sector with international competency, he emphasized.
Currently, our students are manifestations of nurturing merit and experience practically at international and regional levels like in UNECA and AU, he indicated.
Increasing the school’s human power, launching PhD level programs, admiting additional students and contributing due part in the diplomatic sector are the future focus areas of the school, he said.
Naol Lemma is a student at the School.He notes that diplomacy by itself is a means to fulfill national commitment of serving the motherland. In order to accomplish the mission of achieving diplomatic success, diplomats should be armed with appropriate education and practical training, he added.
According to him, he joined the university after taking a qualifying entrance exam given at a national level. “The courses given here are well organized and expected to fill the country’s diplomatic sector gaps,” he adds.
Widening practical experience, sharing opportunities, among diplomats, should be strengthened in order to enable sector practitioners to be winners in the diplomatic corner, he recommended.
As to him, learning diplomacy widens would-be diplomats’ knowhow about the regional and international political situations. It as well helps them further analyze causes, problems and factors that lurk behind things.
He advises overhauling the university’s structure to step up students’
intake and competency.
Another student Idris Outban for his part stressed the need of fully understanding one’s homeland to explain well its diversified tourism and other endowments to the rest of the world.
“Currently, we are striving to imbibe timely diplomatic knowledge. We are eager to serve our country in the diplomatic arena,” he said.
He recommended that participating in different regional and international summits would be important to unroll nourishing education on diplomacy.
Another student from Somalia Doul Riach commented that the School of Diplomacy and International Relations is affording him a better understanding of diplomacy after joining the university with the Ethiopian government sponsored program.
As to him, the teaching-learning environment here [School of Diplomacy and International Relations] is very interesting since the students are drawn from different societal backgrounds. Studying diplomacy gives one more insights about everything happening all around the world.
“We help each other, share materials, well communicate each other, discuss the timely issues mutually and collaborate openly to share new information instead of differences of rising from different background”.
Advancing the school and further strengthening other teaching-learning requirements is important to gain more from diplomacy, he recommended.
Accordingly, after completing studies the students join various international and regional organizations such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and African Union (AU).
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday May 19,2019
BY TEWODROS
KASSA
