Scholars Say PM Visit to Turkey Crucial in Ensuring Security, Integrity of Ethiopia

Addis Ababa August 21/2021 (ENA) The visit of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed plays crucial role in ensuring the security and integrity of Ethiopia and widening the scope of diplomatic relation of the country, scholars noted.

The official visit which took place in the middle of this week marked the 125th anniversary of Ethio-Turkish relations and culminated with the signing of four agreements in different spheres.

The two sides signed Military Framework Agreement, Implementation Protocol regarding Financial Assistance, and Military Financial Cooperation Agreement as well as Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of water.

Pan African Scholar and South African Research Chair of Innovation Studies at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, Professor Mammo Muchie told ENA that the visit by the premier "can be taken as a good example for the rest of the world to learn that the Government of Turkey fully and clearly supports Ethiopia’s integrity."

The visit will strengthen the constructive position that Turkey has taken to maintain the security and integrity of Ethiopia, he added.

The professor cited the speech of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as proof for this: “The peace, tranquility and integrity of Ethiopia, which has a strategic location and importance in Africa, is important to us.”

Professor Mammo stated that Ethiopians “must do everything possible to bring the rest of the world to support the unity and integrity of Ethiopia, free from the ethnic divide and rule that has been the gravity burden on the people and the country inflicted by the colonially tarnished TPLF leaders that continue to wage war to break Ethiopia apart.”

The Turkish government must support Prime Minister Abiy to make the USA government stop the backing of the terrorist TPLF leaders to keep creating chaos and disorder in Ethiopia rather than the much needed peace and stability, he stressed.

According to him, the US government must change its current hostile policy against Ethiopia immediately by valuing the full safety and security of the people by withdrawing its current support to pro-TPLF leaders that are waging war in different parts of the country and committing terrorism.

“How can they support the terrorist TPLF leaders who are making children warriors by committing terrorism from Tigray to Amhara, Afar and by allying with Shene,?” the professor asked.

He underlined that it is the internal unity of all Ethiopians and the government that will defeat any external intervention in Ethiopia rather than the ethnic terrorist of TPLF and Shene leaders.

“If the people of Ethiopia are all united, it will not be easy for external actors and their internal tools to impose their agenda and interests to divide and exacerbate the conflict that continues to mess up Ethiopia, which is the cherished extraordinary civilization hub of Africa and the rest of the world.”

Mizan Tepi University Political Science lecturer, Negus Belay said the visit of the premier  to Turkey has come at a time when the U.S. and its allies chose to turn their backs on Ethiopia.

This could be taken as the dynamics of the new diplomatic move that Ethiopia has been seeking for more expanded cooperation in this multipolar international relation, the lecturer stated.

Currently, Turkey is a rising middle power and a member of NATO that has been on the side of Ethiopia. And the relationship between the two sides has advanced into a strong military and economic cooperation.

Noting that Ethiopia’s diplomatic activity exclusively relies on Western countries and United States of America, the lecturer urged for the need to widen its relationship with various countries.

Negus underlined that "this visit was very important for Ethiopia and it has to widen and deepen relations with other countries like in Asian countries.”