Tumultuous Year 2021 Helped Ethiopia Distinguish Trusted Allies, Says State Minister

January 01,2021 (ENA0 The 2021, which has been a tumultuous year for Ethiopia with a number of twists and turns, shenanigans, and political maneuverings, has helped Ethiopia clearly distinguish its trusted allies from its fair weather friends, Foreign Affairs State Minister Redwan Hussein said.

In an exclusive interview with the on-line magazine Horn Review, the state minister said the past year has also revealed the interests and motivations of Ethiopia's regional and global partners.

“We have indisputably witnessed various pressure campaigns in an attempt to bend the will of the Federal Government, the elected representative of the Ethiopian people, to fit Western agenda,” he told the magazine.

Similar to these very nations, Ethiopia has its own foreign policy priorities and should not be expected to be at the beck and call of external powers.

Redwan said, “We are grappling not only with the challenges and aftermath of the conflict in the north, and all the while asserting our sovereignty and autonomy in the Horn and beyond.”

In this regard, the upcoming all-inclusive dialogue will help in sorting out our issues and better equip Ethiopians to chart a path of their own choosing.

Though Ethiopia has enjoyed a long history of statehood, regrettably we lag 100-years behind in our collective ability to address significant differences amongst ourselves, he said.

In this multipolar global order, “Ethiopia must not remain at a crossroads because our differences make us vulnerable to exploitation by various groups that seek to weaponize our differences,” the state minster noted.

Every power, be it governments, media outlets or other entities, serve their own interests; similarly, Ethiopia is not married to any party, rather, it is focused on its own policy priorities -- domestic and foreign.

This was Ethiopia’s past position in the non-aligned movement and will maintain it going forward. This can be slightly tricky; hence Ethiopia has to be discerning of its partners, as well as its short and long term goals, to fend for its own interests. If not, we risk being carried off in the turf war of big ships.

“Ethiopia remains a significant actor in the Horn, and in Africa. As such, it is our prerogative to establish a clear message that coercive diplomacy is an unfruitful approach,” he stressed.

 Though poor, Redwan noted that we still have our dignity and pride. And for the Ethiopian people, hunger is a preferable alternative to subservience to terms and conditions of outside entities. Though we are constantly reminded of the quintals of grain we are receiving, our inherent value is not determined by the foreign assistance.

Additionally, we will need to galvanize our existing partnerships with friends and partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to uplift our global standing.

“Our ministry is doing its best to reach out to countries and other entities with a genuine interest in understanding our position. We are hopeful that these partners will contribute positively to rectifying the highly partisan narrative that has been purposefully imposed on the nation and its people,” the state minister pointed out.

First, there needs to be clarity in our understanding of the term “national dialogue”. The tentative national dialogue is meant to establish a shared goal among the people, and the political elite.

This endeavor could take months, or perhaps years depending on the process.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is intent on widening its reach not only through traditional diplomacy but also by utilizing tools of this digital age. Though there might be initial shocks to the system, “ I believe the long term benefits of this reform will be many fold.”

The first one is to assert our relevance by handling our domestic issues, and also portraying a positive image. Secondly, the ministry plans to strengthen its partnership with Ethiopians in the diaspora as well as friends of Ethiopia, to facilitate paths for investment and tourism.

He said this will significantly add to efforts to combat foreign and foreign backed campaigns against the Ethiopian people.

Lastly, we are only beginning to venture deeper into our homegrown economic reform agenda to enhance our economic development. Though our aim is to gradually become self-reliant, we still solicit partnerships and projects both in terms of investment and aid.

“We are expanding our public diplomacy and public relations departments as well as staffing them with highly trained young professionals in digital communications. In addition to the local languages, we are expanding our linguistic base to French, Arabic, Spanish, and English, to integrate the diaspora. Furthermore, we aim to increase our collaboration and ventures with Ethiopian ministries as well as diaspora agencies and organizations,” Redwan revealed.

It is apparent that the level of cohesion observed in the diaspora is a reflection of our unity at home; it is my hope that the upcoming national dialogue will forge greater ties within the diaspora as well.

In this regard, he added that Ethiopian embassies and missions are hosting various online seminars, consultations, and discussions to directly address members of the diaspora. We are encouraged by the overwhelming interest for involvement from the diaspora.

Moreover, the state minister said it is both our hope and plan that 2022 will bring an increased involvement of the diaspora.

“We hope that the great homecoming that is taking place provides ample opportunity for the diaspora to assess the reality on the ground for themselves. As direct stakeholders, the diaspora can play a crucial role in disseminating accurate information.”

In parallel, there are commendable efforts from the diaspora to help in the daunting task of reconstruction from damages to hospitals, schools, and other public facilities as a result of the war.

“Our major task in the coming year is bolstering our domestic reform efforts. We expect this to have a cascading effect in encouraging our partners and friends for increased collaboration, both in the diplomatic and development spheres,” Redwan underlined.

Additionally, though we may be through with the conflict, we will need to begin reconstruction and rebuilding infrastructure. The next year will be the year of mending, reconstruction, and rehabilitation.

“In the coming year, we are tentatively planning to host a number of workshops, panel discussions, and training in and around university campuses on core international Affairs issues relevant to our continent, our region, and the world.”

Compared to other nations in the region, the country significantly lags in this regard; this is partly due to the financial commitment and lack of a coordinated effort between the ministry institutions of higher learning, and other relevant stakeholders.

There is more to be done in this regard, and the ministry plans to maintain the current wave of citizen diplomacy in university campuses.