August is following suit of last month’s diplomatic activities with the arrival a Japanese Foreign Minister in Addis. July had seen the most frequent arrival and official visit of high-level officials and delegations from various countries to Ethiopia.
Today, Ethiopia is hosting its visitor from Japan—Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa. The two-side formal relations date us back to 1930 when they signed treaty of amity and commerce. The 1964, “Tokyo Olympic Games” is still fresh in most Ethiopians’ minds for the national tri-color flag was hoisted high as the legendary athlete Abebe Bikila won his second Olympic gold medal. What a co-incidence! We are days away from Abebe’s birthday who was born on August 7, 1932.
Last month, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has received letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping and held talks with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, who arrived here with the President’s Letter. The Prime Minister has also held conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over telephone.
There were a lot of diplomatic visits, meetings and events that took place here in Ethiopia during the month. Following the successful official visit of Foreign Affairs Minster of South Africa, Ethiopia is set to welcome another Minister of Foreign Affairs from Japan. Prior to that Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen has received and held talks with US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee on Bilateral and regional issues. In addition he has also conferred with diplomatic corps members that reside here in Addis Ababa.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs Misganu Arga has also welcomed and held talks with diplomats and Officials of various countries during the month. Among them was his meeting with Secretary General of Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. He has also held another significant meeting with Chairman of Azerbaijani State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations (ASAN), Ulvi Mehdieyev over the month.
Along with these diplomatic developments, Ethiopian government officials and diplomats have also carried out important meetings with their counterparts on the occasion of some continental and international events like the 43rd AU Summit held in Nairobi , the Sudan Peace talks held in Cairo, World Food Systems Summit held in Rome and lately the Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg , Russia.
In its diplomacy and international relations Ethiopia mostly takes side only to its firm stance of non-alignment, objective and color blind policy. For decades or centuries it has never pursued a policy of meddling in internal affairs of countries, or took side with incidents that set countries against each other, among others. Indeed, just like any sovereign country in the world, Ethiopia has its own sovereign interest for which it works strenuously and pays the necessary price. Still it approaches the respect of its interest through mutual understanding and win-win base.
That is why it refrains from taking sides with either of two or more countries, blocs or parties with conflicting interests or who are having issues against each other. Contrarily it tends to engage with the different sides with due respect to all their stances as long as they do not contravene principles of international relations, among others.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 3 AUGUST 2023
