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Building close relation with neighbors
Desta Hailu
Recently FDRE Prime Minister Ato Hailemariam Desalegn has come back from Uganda Kigali after holding discussions on the two countries peace, security, trade and investment. In their talks, both sides have agreed to start the road that links Uganda’s north eastern city Karamoja with south Ethiopia through Kenya.
In addition to this, South Sudan’s President Salvaa Kiir has made an official three day visit in our country and returned back after agreeing on various political, social, economic and security issues. What these two recent instances shows us is that our country is creating a strong diplomatic link with the countries in our region like it have been doing in the past. As it’s known, the East Africa region where Ethiopia is situated at hasn’t benefitted for long from potential diplomatic ties between the countries. For this, we can point out the long standing war that ravaged the region as reason for it.
Nevertheless, because the war has relatively slowed down currently, many initiatives are being launched to tap into the potential benefits that can be gotten from comprehensive integration of the regional countries. The two recent agreements I mentioned in the introductory part are evidences to my claim. And it is obvious this comes from the peace our country gained.
As any reader of this article knows, under the previous regimes, our country has been engulfed in civil war and deep rooted poverty like the other the African countries. However, thanks to the FDRE government, the politico-economic system it follows, and the martyrs that have given their lives to the cause, Ethiopia has started to change its image that used to be associated with it negatively. Through the wide-ranging integrative works the government and the whole people of the country undertook, it is benefiting from the relative peace of the region.
It has been a while now since Ethiopia started to be looked at in a new positive light. As a result to this, the country’s acceptance and recognition has been gaining strength in regional and international diplomatic stages. Since the growing diplomatic status of the country is attracting the countries of the region and the continent as well, today the number of African leaders that come to Addis Ababa in search for advise and to learn from our experiences are gaining in number.
The diplomatic directives of the FDRE constitution take the lion-share in this. The constitution encourages the region’s neighboring countries to work for mutual interest and peace, and it has also laid a diplomatic base that is based on mutual benefit. It has also played a role in ensuring our national interest and national existence.
Of course the relation Ethiopia will strike with any country is planned to be based on our country’s basic interest, and takes into account that when the development and democratic process gets further rooted it will lessen our vulnerabilities. This follows a course to lessen problems by analyzing through studies and to solve conflicts through negotiation when they occur.
I think this has led the regional diplomatic ties our country initiated up to now to be undertaken successfully. However, the regional countries should link through a strong diplomatic bond in order to solve the problems that still lingers in the region like stopping terrorists groups like Al-Shabaab; mitigate the humanitarian crisis that is created in South Sudan and stop some of the meddling approach some of the regional countries followed to protect their own interest and halt the efforts of irresponsible governments like Eritrea which is trying to meddle in the region’s unresolved crisis in an negative way. And the diplomatic ties between the countries should focus on equal benefit.
The diplomatic ties should center on the interest of the people of the region. The people of east Africa are closely bound to each other either through culture, history, living together, and intermarriage to the point that the people of the region consider the other countries of the region as their second home.
Thus, the region’s countries should further tighten up this centuries old close bondage that exists between the regions countries. For this to happen, the agreements the make with each other should be changed to action. In this regard, Ethiopia should be playing its leading role by working upon the experiences it garnered for the past 26 years. Of course Ethiopia should be playing a leading role not only in solving conflicts and controversies through peaceful means in order for there to be a stable political process in the region, but also in widening the peace and cooperation framework in the region with diplomatic backing. The cooperation and peace diplomacy principles of our country will help it in this regard.
Truth be told, Ethiopia doesn’t adhere to an approach that sees either neighboring countries or other countries as enemies. Instead of that the country has given priority to its internal problems. By being able to point the strong hands of its people towards poverty, its number one enemy, the country has become a benchmark of economic growth. And in order for this growth to be maintained and continue strongly, and for its neighboring countries to benefit, a strong regional cooperation and diplomatic ties is a must.
In the 21st century that we are at now, it is impossible to live alone being isolated from the rest of the world. As it is an age of globalization, it demands countries to have close cooperation and working relation even with other countries that are far away let alone close by neighboring countries. In an age where the world is considered a single village, the reason why investors from various countries flock to the region to invest is the result of diplomatic ties.
Therefore, as we can get what we lack from the investors, we should work closely for mutual benefit. In this regard, what is helpful and beneficiary for us is to look far and wide as a principle in order for us to get many opportunities for mutually benefitting relations with other countries. And if a country is willing to look far diplomatic relation and mutual benefit, then there is nothing holding that country from linking with the region’s countries diplomatically. However, the diplomatic ties should be carefully constructed and should have a protagonist role beforehand – as any effort to undo after one issue is done won’t amount to anything. Thus, it is better to strengthen the diplomatic relation by planning ahead and long term before anything is done. And to be able to do this, we should strengthen our capacity to implement and execute things.
Of course the basis to build this capacity is manpower. In order to have manpower that is capable to implement and get things done, it is important to fulfill the input the diplomatic world demands. A country that doesn’t have a manpower that is well versed with diplomatic knowledge and skills cannot carry out its diplomatic relations. Thus, a country is expected to produce diplomats that have comprehensive capabilities. In this regard, I believe the recently graduated 94 diplomas will have huge role in regards to carrying out the mission given to them by the government and in strengthening our country’s diplomatic ties.
Our country will carry out its leading role in amplifying the voice of Africa at international arenas by representing the region and the continent – just like it did in the past. Although Ethiopia is a country that gives priority to its internal issues, its development and growth cannot be seen separately from its neighbor’s peace and stability. Thus, I believe Ethiopia should work strongly on the diplomatic ties of the neighboring countries with no less focus it gives to its internal affairs.
