Peace agreement offers path to resuscitate Ethiopia’s diplomacy: Senior experts

Addis Ababa, February 6, 2023 (FBC) – The Pretoria Peace Agreement signed between the federal government and the TPLF has offered path to resuscitate Ethiopia’s diplomatic relationships with various countries, scholars at the Ethiopian Institute of Foreign Affairs said.

Senior researcher of Europe and U.S. Affairs at IFA, Anteneh Getachew (PhD), said the peace accord has provided Ethiopia with an opportunity to revive its diplomatic relations with countries that were pressuring it in the context of the conflict in the northern parts of the country.

Ethiopia has restored its relationship with the U.S. and other countries in the West in the wake of the peace agreement, and positive results are being gained in terms of humanitarian and development assistance the nation is receiving from international organizations and partners.

The visit of foreign affairs ministers of China, Germany and France have come at a time when the country has started enjoying the peace dividends and this shows how the countries are interested to strengthen their ties with Ethiopia, Anteneh said.

Ethiopia has to maintain its non-alignment stance of its foreign policy to maintain its national interest amidst the emerging multipolar world order, Anteneh noted.

The pledges the countries made by through their visiting top diplomats of the countries to enhance their bilateral cooperation with Ethiopia shows how the nation is in a position to reap the fruits of its diplomatic and economic endeavors through cooperation with its partners.

Dareskedar Taye (PdD), Director of the Asia Pacific Research Center at IFA, said the Pretoria Peace deal has paved the way for Ethiopia to get out of the trouble it faced in its diplomatic sphere due to the conflict in the northern part of the country.

Apart from the diplomatic gains, the Peace Agreement is crucial for Ethiopia to promote trade and investment ties with partner countries in all corners of the world, he added.

Ethiopia’s non-alignment stance which is a pillar of its foreign policy would help sustain balanced and fair economic partnership with any nation interested to tap potentials of the nation based on mutual benefits, Dareskedar added.

“Ethiopia will not be negatively impacted by the rivalry between powerful nations if it adheres to its non-alignment stance. Rather, Ethiopia can turn the completion between powers into an opportunity if it carefully manages the situation,” Dareskedar explained.

By Wondesen Aregahegn