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Ethiopian’s economic diplomacy bearing fruits
Gemechu Tussa
Ethiopia has achieved various gains since the overthrow of the military rule in 1991. One of the significant achievements could be its diplomatic strides. Its efforts in this regard promoted African unity and integration.
The country has become so influential in regional, continental and international diplomacy. Ethiopia has contributed a lot to the continent in political dialogue, peacekeeping mission and advocating the spirit of African independence.
Many scholars witnessed that; Ethiopia has now become influential not only in the Horn region but also in the continent. It was committed on the African liberation movement, climate change negotiations, development initiatives, and peace and stability operations across.
Its diplomatic success and the buildup of its internal security and development capacity have enabled the nation to get a space at continental and international levels. Now it has become an influential country. Its profound bilateral and multilateral relations with different countries, mainly aimed to alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable economic progress.
Previously, the country had poor diplomatic relations, but, now that story is altogether altered. Some decades ago, it was unthinkable for Ethiopia to construct any project on the Nile River as its diplomatic relation with other countries was at a stake. Rather, Egypt had a good relation with other countries that it used to persuade development partners and donor to cooperate with it and reject any development projects on the Nile.
But now, there is a balance shift. Ethiopia has built well its relations with countries along the basin and beyond that at least it managed to silence other countries from interfering in its internal issues due to the strong effort it exerted to strengthen its diplomatic relations.
It managed now to properly justify the utilization of its natural resources for its development and pursue constructing a number of mega projects in its own finance such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and in collaboration with other development partners.
Nowadays the country has become a diplomatic hub as there are a number of continental and international organizations.
The country’s diplomatic relations promotes its strategic cooperation and foreign direct investment as well as strengthening the participation of the Ethiopian Diaspora. It also contributed to mutual coexistence with the intention of supporting the multifaceted progress the nation has been achieved.
Ethiopia has a commendable record in deploying peacekeeping missions in many African countries. One of the remarkable issues in this regard is the fact that it is the only nation chose by two rivalries to mediate them. This indicates how Ethiopia is loyal in its relations with other countries.
It has been since 1991 that the government of Ethiopia has intensified its efforts to reassert national interest in the international arena along with it the country has been working hard day in day out to alleviate poverty and backwardness.
The government systematically laid out a Foreign Policy and National Security Strategy, identifying the major threats to Ethiopia’s very survival, in such a way that could curb the socioeconomic problems. Because the government has already identified that the very existence of the country would be questionable without assuring economic development and realizing democracy.
Ethiopia forges two imperative goals alleviating poverty and ensuring sustainable economic growth plus realizing democratic situation. In this regard, its bilateral or multilateral relations with countries or organizations should serve this agenda of providing the tools for rapid economic development together with advancing the democratization process.
Ethiopia’s diplomatic activity should serve the country’s economic agenda, by providing rapid economic development together with the objective of advancing democracy in the building up of the democratic developmental state.
Ethiopia’s foreign policy has to serve these twin objectives of rapid economic development and democratization to win the war on poverty and to ensure participation of the people in administering their own affairs.
Economic policies adopted by the government in the last two decades have played an instrumental role in developing the country’s economy. Ethiopia has become one of the ten fastest growing countries in the world. Its past blackmailed image of poverty, backwardness and war is being gradually reversed.
The economic diplomacy policy helped the nation to diversify its trade, investment areas and to widen the international market horizon that has vividly accelerated growth in these sectors of the economy. It has viable trade policy which helps develop and ensure broad international market linkage and thereby generate large amount of foreign exchange.
Ethiopia’s current diplomacy unlike past regimes is economic-oriented. Ethiopia’s diplomacy was framed 26 years ago in such a way that, it will support the country’s efforts to extricate itself from poverty. It is guided not by ideological affiliation to states and parties but based on the economic benefits. The country has been exerting efforts and making various activities to strengthen relations with countries, educational institutions, governmental and non- governmental organizations.
Its diplomatic effort also incorporates the participation of the Diaspora. They were the major stakeholders in building the positive images of their country. In having bilateral relations and ensuring the participation of the Ethiopian Diaspora in their country’s overall affairs would have not been realized without the combative efforts of the government and the public at large.
The primary cause for the expansion of trade and investment in the country over the past 26 years is the foreign policy that focuses on economic diplomacy. The nation has been vigorous in the fight against poverty, applying a foreign policy that ensured democracy and development over the past two decades with tangible and visible results.
The foreign policy, which is based on economic diplomacy, emphasized the expanding of the frontier of our relations to all corners of the world. It has brought immense change that helped strengthen relationships with other countries since 1991.
Recognizing this fact, economic diplomacy tops the priority list in not only Ethiopia’s diplomacy orbit but also on other nations’ diplomacy hubs. So far, except Eritrea, the nation has made a cooperative agreement with all it neighboring countries on peace and development issues that facilitate mutual benefits and strong relationships.
The economic and political ties created with Djibouti, Sudan, South-Sudan, and Kenya show the effectiveness of the policy and how it is going on the right track. Fighting poverty and transforming the nation to a better level requires the expansion of trade and investment. The influx of tourists and an increase in the revenue earned from the sector.
The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has been carried out via strong public participation and strong diplomacy. Nowadays, all Nile Basin countries support the project, including Sudan one of the downstream countries.
Ethiopian diplomats are currently busy in speeding up the development of trade, the expansion of investment and the strengthening of relationships. They acquaint the potential investment alternatives of the country to the global business community. Ethiopia has proved an indemnity not only for its internal peace, but also for other African countries.
