Global Trends Assignment

Subject Code: GlTr1012

Title: Foreign Policy of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

*Section A

Name ID

Beimnet Alemu UGR/8971/12

Betelhem Misganaw UGR/4651/12

Betemariam Brook UGR/3842/12

Beza Assefa UGR/9792/12

Darik Mulubirhan UGR/5619/12

Due Date: June 11, 2021

Submitted to: Solomon G.

Introduction
Ethiopia has a long diplomatic history and extensive experience in foreign
relations. Since the formation of modern Ethiopian empire, different
regimes have been using foreign policy and foreign relations as the best
means to modernize the country, maintain sovereignty and defending the
national integrity of the country. However, there are always changes and
continuities of Ethiopian foreign policy under different regimes though the
central purpose of Ethiopia's foreign policy has remained the same. The
formation of modern Ethiopian empire ushered the foundation for
beginning of the modern Ethiopia’s foreign relations and foreign policy.
Initially it was dominated by state to state relations that marginalized the
participation of none state actors though the foreign policy document of
the country. It was not accepted until 1996 when the official document of
Ethiopian foreign policy was adopted by EPRDF government.
EPRDF: Pre 1991
The failures of the Marxist-Leninist regime to solve the national problems
and national questions lead to the down fall of the military regime in 1991
and the regime was headed by the Ethiopian people Revolutionary
Democratic Front (EPRDF). Mengistu dethroned in what eventually became
known as the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF),
a coalition of three regionally. Ethiopian Foreign Policy Under Military and
EPRDF Regimes: Changes and Continuities and largely ethnically based
guerrilla armies that included the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF),
Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and the Eritrean People's Liberation Front
(EPLF), secessionist movement dating back to 1961.

EPRDF: Somewhere in-between

The change of global political order witnessed within the end of Cold war
had implications on the Ethiopian foreign policy. As a result of New World
Order system, Ethiopian foreign policy orientation is changed from purely
stubborn Marxist ideology, to flexible developmental state with numerous
alliances, paying great emphasis for economic development, at the expense
of security issue.
At the end of the military rule, Ethiopia was at the brink of total collapse
and disintegration. The country was strangled by economic policies
deleterious to development; the citizenry was captive of an undemocratic
and brutal regime, and the state rocked by sharp nationalist conflicts and
interminable wars. Let alone its foes, Ethiopia's friends were convinced that
the country's fate was sealed and its disintegration imminent.
The situation in Ethiopia is different from other parts of the world. Major
changes forced the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front
(EPRDF) to adjust its approach and to proclaim “Revolutionary Democracy”
in place of Marxist socialism as the party’s ideology. Marxist Leninist affiliate
regime replaced by another Marxist oriented type of government, called
EPRDF—a coalition party successfully overthrew military government and
installs ethnic federalism as a solution to nationality questions and believed
to inadequately unaddressed in the past regimes.

EPRDF: Post 1991

Following the downfall of the military regime, the policies of the Derg, being
detrimental to the country’s development were removed. The reason that
the Front assumed power in a period when the centralized administrative
states of the socialist bloc were collapsing, undoubtedly for the fact that it
arranges ethnic based administrations in the regions. In terms of
institutional set up, EPRDF borrowed some elements of Lenin which aimed
to establish forefront party from the center reaching peripheral area. Unlike
its predecessors, the new EPRDF government emphasize on liberating
Ethiopian nationalities by taking ethnicity as its components. Surprisingly,
the new constitution has granted regions the right to leave the federation
(Art. 39). Another unique political development in Ethiopia was separation
of Eritrea from Ethiopia, in which EPRDF itself facilitated the way against
the policies of the past regimes.
Policies based on the principles of free market economy were drawn up,
and their implementation initiated. Among the many states effecting a
transition from a command to a free economic system the timing and
execution of Ethiopia's transition managed to avoid hurdles that would
further weaken the economy or aggravate the crisis. In fact, the transition
was made in a manner that achieved unprecedented economic growth. In
addition to the satisfactory growth achieved, the experience gained on how
to secure rapid progress was rich, and a firm foundation for further
development laid down. Thus, significant headways were made in the
economic front.
Human and democratic rights were also given constitutional protection and
their enforcement has already commenced. The right to self-determination
and equality among Ethiopia's nations, nationalities and peoples, enshrined
in the Constitution, is also in force. Enabling conditions have been created
to advance the struggle for the building of a democratic order.
In the post 1991 period, Ethiopia‘s foreign policy is driven primarily by the
quest to ensure national interest and security. Foreign policy has been
considered as an instrument to solve the domestic problems of the country,
including; lack of good governance, instability and lack of economic
development.
The foreign policy of Ethiopia has been designed to create favorable
external environment to achieve rapid economic development and build up
a democratic system. So, democracy and development are the foreign policy
visions of the country.
The primary strategy in realization of these goals is to put the focus on
domestic issues first, also known as an “inside out” approach. If we solve our
domestic problems, the country would not be vulnerable and its peace and
survival can be ensured. Even its outside enemies can be effectively
deterred only after the country builds up strong economic capability and a
democratic system which would in turn minimize the risk of disintegration
at home as well. The other foreign policy strategy is building up the military
capability of the country. Peaceful dialogues and negotiations will be
employed to peacefully coexist with others.
Since its emergence, EPRDF has undergone several changes. These include:
changing from an organization for the liberation of nations and nationalities
from Derg oppression to an organization taking power and ruling over
Ethiopia; from anti-imperialist organization to pro-Western organization
becoming their darling; and also persuading the Chinese and making them
the major investors in the country; from market economy to revolutionary
democracy, and then to developmental state; from a federal structure based
on ethnic territories to centralized power control through centralized
vanguard party system, and then adopting the concept of developmental
state.
Particularly the change that occurred in the post 2002 Ethiopia was
important for EPRDF, because it was the turning point for consolidation of
power, which coincided with new ideology called “developmental state”—
state led development. Basically, developmental state is a state that derives
political legitimacy from its record in economic development, so that
developmental foreign policy’s credibility will be measured and determined
by the extent to which it helps to foster development and industrialization.
Although it is not well conceptualized notion, it is possible to argue in the
common sense that developmental state foreign policy is not designed out
of existing global political and economic system. Like liberal democratic
state, a developmental state foreign policy has also place for democracy,
human rights, and international law. In light of this, the current Ethiopian
foreign policy platform is framed based international political system of the
day, “New World Order System” in which governments could not satisfy
domestic economic demands without engaging itself in international
negotiation. Maintaining large coalitions with similar actors is not a matter
of option, but an obligation for every state.
The Ethiopian government places economic diplomacy at the center of its
foreign policy document. In such a way, economic diplomacy is prioritized to
attain two areas of national interest: economic development and
consolidation of democracy. Relatively, an external security threat to the
country has been obtained little attention an enabling environment for
development in this context is to identify market, attract investment, trade
promotion, solicit grants and loans and technical support, and make
maximum utilization of all possibilities.
To sum up, the post 1990s witnessed the sharp increase of intrastate
conflicts in contrary to interstate conflicts. While the patterns of global
conflict were changing from ideological competition to ethnic and religious
fault lines, the process of globalization gave a new impetus to the neoliberal
economic order that placed considerable power in the hands of
multinational corporations and consequently further undermined the
nation-state as unchallenged incumbent key actor in international relations.
Globalization has reduced the ability of individual states or even coalitions
or groups of states to shape outcomes. Many actors emerged as important
unit of analysis in foreign policy. Among the others, state must take into
account the environment, population, terrorism, transnational crime, drugs,
and sustainable development in their decision-making. Overall, the post
1991 has brought many changes to the international political and economic
orders, among others, the transition from the Cold War world into the
globalized world.

The EPRDF foreign and security policy and strategy is focused on-
 The country‘s relations of friendships or otherwise should be based
first of all on economic matters. Accordingly, it’s diplomacy should be
mainly centered on economic activities. As the FDRE constitution in
it’s Article 89 puts the followings as guiding principles to the country’s
foreign policy. There are
o Promoting values of mutual respect for national sovereignty
and equality of states and non-interference in the internal
affairs of other states.
o Observing international agreements which ensures respect for
the country’s sovereignty and hence are not contrary to the
interests of its people.
o Forging and promoting an ever-growing economic union and
fraternal relations of peoples with in Ethiopia’s neighbors and
other African countries.
o Seeking for and supporting to peaceful solutions to
international disputes
 Minimizing threats on the basis of proper analysis strategies to
forestall the threats of Ethiopia’s national interests and security
should be developed.
 Reducing vulnerability to threats a strategy correctly identifying the
sources of the country’s vulnerability and then dealing with the
problem should be employed.
 Building a reliable defense capability, strength in military power is a
necessary pre-condition for deterrence, effective diplomatic action
and to acquire military victory with minimal damage.
 Building strong implementation capacity such as foreign national
consensuses, strength the professional diplomatic capacity,
coordinating and involving those with a role in implementations.
Generally, the foreign and security policy of the country is given
attentions by categorizing Countries according to their socio economic
and political importance. Based on these and other reasons the foreign
policy relations in the horn of African countries such as Eretria, South
Sudan, Sudan, Djibouti and Kenya are given special attentions than the
other African countries in their historical and cultural ties. The foreign
and security policy relationships of EPRDF with Arabian and Gulf
countries, European countries, America, Asian countries, World
Organization and Non-governmental organizations based on their
objectives and importance the foreign and security policy documents of
Ethiopia are stated clearly.
In Conclusion
Looking at the patterns of the country’s foreign policies over the years,
there have been changes and continuities in the foreign policy goals and
tactics adopted by different governments of Ethiopia. Though strategies
may sometimes differ the primary foreign policy objective of all the three
regimes -the monarchy, military and democratic- it remained the
maintenance of the territorial integrity and independence of the country. To
this end the three regimes used a combination of both military force and
diplomacy to address both internal and external challenges depending on
the circumstances. In this manner, the imperial and the military regime‘s
foreign policy strategy is largely an approach the current regime (EPRDF)
followed ―in-side out approach.

Reference
 Ethiopia’s Foreign Policy in the new world order system: Foreign Policy Direction and
order system: Foreign Policy Direction and it’s determinants – Teshome Chala – Ambo
University- David Publishing - 2020
 Ethiopian Foreign Policy under military and EPRDF Regimes: Changes and continuities –
Negera Gudeta – University of Leipzig – Journal of Politics – 2019
 Common Course Teaching Module: Global Affairs (GlTr1012) – Moges Demisse (PhD),
Seife Hailu (Ass. Prof) – Addis Ababa University - 2019