Newly Appointed Ambassadors Pledge to Reinvigorate National Interest, Visibility of Country
The newly appointed Ethiopian ambassadors said they are determined to reinvigorate the national interest of the country and make it visible continentally and internationally.
Some of the ambassadors approached by ENA said modern diplomacy has been experiencing fundamental changes at an unprecedented level and Ethiopia needs to cope with this dynamism to thwart unwarranted global influences.
Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Pakistan, Jemal Beker said digital diplomacy is now needed in Ethiopia to influence diplomacy through social media and other platforms.
According to him, Ethiopia has been under steady international disinformation campaign and global pressure since the outbreak of the conflict in the northern part of the country.
“All those disinformation campaigns or what we call fake news, distort Ethiopia’s image as well as try to affect our roles in the globe. But Ethiopians have demonstrated vibrancy and strength.”
In addition to re-engaging diplomats and presenting the country’s real image to the international community, the country has been managing its internal affairs, which is creating an enabling atmosphere for diplomacy, the ambassador added.
“We were expected to manage our domestic issues. So, we are managing them through dialogue and various peace initiatives. Now we (diplomats) are assertively engaging our partners who have supported us and convincing those who misunderstood us by giving them necessary information,” Ambassador Jemal stated.
Deputy Head of Ethiopian Permanent Mission in New York, Yoseph Kassaye said Ethiopia has witnessed a politically motivated agenda that repeatedly made the country a discussion point at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council.
Ethiopian diplomats have, however, done a great job in explaining the situation on the ground to the international community during the past year.
The country has been known for promoting peace, the ambassador noted, adding that the diplomats are now committed to promoting regional integration and ensuring global visibility.
Ambassador Yoseph noted, “we play a critical role in the continent to make sure that we can collectively advance our interests as Africa. We also play important role in the global stage of public policy since we have been active in climate diplomacy and also promoting sustainable development goals.”
Ambassador Genet Teshome, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Cuba stated that the country is rearranging its diplomatic approach to defend its interests and make the international community become part of the country’s aspiration.
To achieve Ethiopia’s ambition, diplomats should therefore be proactive in digital diplomacy.
“The coverage of diplomatic activities through digital means would be very intense in terms of speed and border less coverage,” he noted, adding that “we ambassadors will employ this platform to promote the interest of the government and people of Ethiopian and enhance its visibility at the international venue.”
Source: Ethiopia News Agency