Foreign relations of Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
Like many states in sub-Saharan Africa
, Ethiopia
was relatively isolated from other countries not immediately adjacent to it, until well into the 19th century. Many historians trace modern Ethiopian foreign policy to the reign of Emperor Tewodros II
, whose primary concerns were the security of Ethiopia's traditional borders, obtaining technology from Europe (or modernization), and to a lesser degree Ethiopian rights to the monastery of Dar-es-Sultan in the city of Jerusalem. Tewodros' diplomatic efforts, however, ended disastrously with the British expedition of 1868
which concluded with his death. Despite the efforts of his successor Emperor Yohannes IV
to establish a relationship with the United Kingdom, Ethiopia was ignored by the world powers until the opening of the Suez Canal
, and more important, the Mahdist War
, drew outside attention to her once more.
The same major interests that Tewodros had—the security of Ethiopia's traditional borders and modernization—were once again foremost, as demonstrated by the outcome of the First Italo–Ethiopian War, Ethiopia's admission to the League of Nations
(28 September 1923), and the 1935 Second Italo-Abyssinian War
. Following the decisive Ethiopian victory at Adwa, Menelik II rapidly negotiated a series of treaties fixing Ethiopia's boundaries—with French Somaliland in March 1897, British Somaliland a few months later in June 1897, with Italian Eritrea in 1900, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in 1902, British East Africa in 1907, and Italian Somaliland in 1908—which simplified this problem on one level. Although Emperor Haile Selassie agreed to an agreement
with the British government to help him restore order to Ethiopia, which benefited him in crushing the Woyane Rebellion, he patiently worked to its eventual termination. Since World War II
, Ethiopia has played an active role in world and African affairs. Ethiopia was a charter member of the United Nations
and took part in UN operations in Korea
in 1951 and the Congo
in 1960. Former Emperor
Haile Selassie was a founder of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Addis Ababa
is the host capital for the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the OAU.
Although nominally a member of the Non-Aligned Movement
, after the 1974 revolution, Ethiopia moved into a close relationship with the Soviet Union
and its allies and supported their international policies and positions until the change of government in 1991.
Today, Ethiopia has very good relations with the U.S. and the West, especially in responding to regional instability and, increasingly, through economic involvement. Ethiopia's relations with Eritrea
are extremely tense due to an ongoing border dispute. Continuing instability along Ethiopia's borders with Sudan
and Somalia
contributes to tension with the National Islamic Front
regime in Sudan and several factions in Somalia. On the other hand, relations with her other neighboring states, Djibouti
and Kenya
, are satisfactory.
; however, this utility is in need of repairs and upgraded capacity. The railroad is tied to the Port of Djibouti
, which provides port facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia. Disputes between the Afar
and Issa
people of Djibouti have the potential of involving Ethiopian citizens of these groups.
Ethiopia shelters 13,078 refugees from Eritrea, most notably 4,860 Kunama
.
between Ethiopia and Namibia
. Namibia maintains an embassy in Addis Ababa
.
During the South African occupation of Namibia
, Ethiopia was one of the country's leading proponents abroad; Ethiopia and Liberia
were the first two states to bring the question of independence for then South West Africa
to the United Nations
. Namibia gained independence in 1990 In 2007, the two governments signed an agreement which expanded air travel between the two states. In December 2009, Namibia's Foreign Minister, Marko Hausiku met with Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyoum Mesfin
and noted the economic, science, technical and cultural agreements in place between the two countries and expressed a desire to improve the trade relations.
, due to the support that the Sudanese government had given to the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
. However, relations were strained for a time following the 26 June 1995 assassination attempt against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak
as he was leaving the OAU summit meeting in Addis Ababa. The subsequent investigation revealed that Sudan was involved in this act, forcing the Ethiopian government to take a series of steps against Sudan that September, which included closing the Sudanese consulate in Gambela
, reducing the number of Sudanese embassy staff, and terminating all Sudan Airways
and Ethiopian Airlines
flights between the two countries. However the start of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War led to Sudan and Ethiopia put this conflict between them and normalizing their relations by November 1999 when president Omar Hassan al-Bashir made a formal visit to Addis Ababa.
A protocol concerning Ethiopian access to Port Sudan
was signed between the two countries 5 March 2000 in Khartoum, and this protocol and its subsequent amendment were ratified by the Ethiopian Federal Parliamentary Assembly
on 3 July 2003.
Efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan were delayed by the Second Sudanese Civil War
. In May 2008, residents along the western Ethiopian border reportedly discovered that the government had agreed to demarcate this boundary when Sudanese soldiers forced them out of their homes. It was reported that as many as 2,000 people were displaced in the Gambela Region
, and the Sudanese army reportedly set fire to two dozen Ethiopian farms and imprisoned 34 people in the Amhara Region
. However, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi publicly denied that any Ethiopians had been displaced by this agreement. Negotiations over this boundary continues, with the twelfth meeting of the Boundary Commission announced 28 December 2009 at Mek'ele
, with Ethiopian representatives from the Tigray
, Benishangul-Gumuz, Amhara and Gambela Regions, and from the Sudanese side representatives of the Upper Nile, Blue Nile, Sennar
and Al Qadarif
Administrations.
Ethiopia shelters 66,980 refugees from Sudan, most of whom live in refugee camps in the Benishangul-Gumuz and Gambela Regions.
The Ethiopian ambassador to Sudan is Dr Kadafo Mohamed Hanfare. He is also accredited to: Libya, Chad, Central Africa Republic, and Niger
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
was relatively isolated from other countries not immediately adjacent to it, until well into the 19th century. Many historians trace modern Ethiopian foreign policy to the reign of Emperor Tewodros II
Tewodros II of Ethiopia
Tewodros II was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death....
, whose primary concerns were the security of Ethiopia's traditional borders, obtaining technology from Europe (or modernization), and to a lesser degree Ethiopian rights to the monastery of Dar-es-Sultan in the city of Jerusalem. Tewodros' diplomatic efforts, however, ended disastrously with the British expedition of 1868
1868 Expedition to Abyssinia
The British 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia was a punitive expedition carried out by armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire...
which concluded with his death. Despite the efforts of his successor Emperor Yohannes IV
Yohannes IV of Ethiopia
Yohannes IV , born Lij Kassay Mercha Ge'ez, was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1872 until his death.-Early life:...
to establish a relationship with the United Kingdom, Ethiopia was ignored by the world powers until the opening of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, and more important, the Mahdist War
Mahdist War
The Mahdist War was a colonial war of the late 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and the Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt. The British have called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign...
, drew outside attention to her once more.
The same major interests that Tewodros had—the security of Ethiopia's traditional borders and modernization—were once again foremost, as demonstrated by the outcome of the First Italo–Ethiopian War, Ethiopia's admission to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
(28 September 1923), and the 1935 Second Italo-Abyssinian War
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
. Following the decisive Ethiopian victory at Adwa, Menelik II rapidly negotiated a series of treaties fixing Ethiopia's boundaries—with French Somaliland in March 1897, British Somaliland a few months later in June 1897, with Italian Eritrea in 1900, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in 1902, British East Africa in 1907, and Italian Somaliland in 1908—which simplified this problem on one level. Although Emperor Haile Selassie agreed to an agreement
Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement
The Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement was a joint effort between Ethiopia and the United Kingdom at reestablishing Ethiopian independent statehood following the ousting of Italian troops by combined British and Ethiopian forces in 1941 during World War II....
with the British government to help him restore order to Ethiopia, which benefited him in crushing the Woyane Rebellion, he patiently worked to its eventual termination. Since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Ethiopia has played an active role in world and African affairs. Ethiopia was a charter member of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and took part in UN operations in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
in 1951 and the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
in 1960. Former Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Haile Selassie was a founder of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
is the host capital for the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the OAU.
Although nominally a member of the Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
, after the 1974 revolution, Ethiopia moved into a close relationship with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and its allies and supported their international policies and positions until the change of government in 1991.
Today, Ethiopia has very good relations with the U.S. and the West, especially in responding to regional instability and, increasingly, through economic involvement. Ethiopia's relations with Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
are extremely tense due to an ongoing border dispute. Continuing instability along Ethiopia's borders with Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
contributes to tension with the National Islamic Front
National Islamic Front
The National Islamic Front is the Islamist political organization founded and led by Dr. Hassan al-Turabi that has influenced the Sudanese government since 1979, and dominated it since 1989...
regime in Sudan and several factions in Somalia. On the other hand, relations with her other neighboring states, Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, are satisfactory.
Djibouti
Diplomatic relations between the two countries was established in 1984. Relations between the countries are generally good. Both countries share ownership of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti RailroadEthio-Djibouti Railways
The Ethio-Djibouti Railways, also Ethio-Djibouti Railway Enterprise, is the successor of the Imperial Railway Company of Ethiopia and jointly owned by the governments of Ethiopia and Djibouti. It was formed after Djibouti gained independence in 1977 and received the French shares of the Imperial...
; however, this utility is in need of repairs and upgraded capacity. The railroad is tied to the Port of Djibouti
Port of Djibouti
The Port of Djibouti is located at the crossroads of one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, linking Europe, the Far East, the Horn of Africa and the Persian Gulf.-History:...
, which provides port facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia. Disputes between the Afar
Afar people
The Afar , also known as the Danakil, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They primarily live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in northern Djibouti, although some also inhabit the southern point of Eritrea.-Early history:...
and Issa
Issa
Issa or ISSA may refer to:Issa*Abdisalam Issa-Salwe, Somali scholar*Darrell Issa, a Californian Representative*List of The Belgariad and The Malloreon characters#Issa, a divine character in David Eddings's fantasy series The Belgariad and The Malloreon*Issa or Isa, the Arabic name for Jesus in...
people of Djibouti have the potential of involving Ethiopian citizens of these groups.
- The border between the two countries is based on the Franco-Ethiopian convention of 20 March 1897. A protocol signed by France and Ethiopia on 16 January 1954, stated that the demarcation of the boundary between the colony of Dibouti and Ethiopia as considered final, which became effective 28 February of that year. With the independence of Djibouti, there have been no significant issues over this border.
- Djibouti President Hassan Gouled AptidonHassan Gouled AptidonHassan Gouled Aptidon was the first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999.-Biography:...
paid an official visit to Ethiopia in October 1991, when a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation was signed between the two countries. Since 1991, the two countries have signed over 39 protocol agreements. - An agreement concerning the use of the Port of Djibouti and the transit of cargo, was signed in Djibouti between the two countries on 13 April 2002, and ratified by the Ethiopian Federal Parliamentary AssemblyFederal Parliamentary AssemblyThe Parliament of Ethiopia consists of two chambers:*The House of Federation *The House of People's Representatives...
on 4 June of the same year. - The Ethiopian ambassador to Djibouti is Shemesedine Ahmed Roblah
Eritrea
- The boundary between these two countries is based on three treaties between Ethiopia and Italy, in 1900, 1902, and 1908. However no part of the shared boundary was afterwards demarcated.
- From 1950 until 1993, Eritrea was federated as part of Ethiopia. During much of this period, a number of Eritreans fought for independence from EthiopiaEritrean War of IndependenceThe Eritrean War of Independence was a conflict fought between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists, both before and during the Ethiopian Civil War. The war started when Eritrea’s autonomy within Ethiopia, where troops were already stationed, was unilaterally revoked...
. The federation was ended with an April 1993 plebisciteUnited Nations Observer Mission to Verify the Referendum in EritreaThe UN Observer Mission to Verify the Referendum in Eritrea was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 47/114 of 16 December 1992 and lasted until 25 April 1993...
which approved Eritrea's full independence. - Dispute over alignment of boundary with Eritrea led to the Eritrean-Ethiopian WarEritrean-Ethiopian WarThe Eritrean–Ethiopian War took place from May 1998 to June 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea, forming one of the conflicts in the Horn of Africa...
(1998–2000), which was resolved by an independent boundary commission'sAlgiers Agreement (2000)The Algiers Agreement was an agreement between the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia signed on December 12, 2000, at Algiers, Algeria to end the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, a border war fought by the two countries from 1998 to 2000...
delimitationBoundary delimitationBoundary delimitation, or simply delimitation, is the term used to describe the drawing of boundaries, but is most often used to describe the drawing of electoral boundaries, specifically those of precincts, states, counties or other municipalities...
decision in 2002. However, demarcation has been delayed, despite intense international intervention, by Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography," made technical errors in the delimitation, and determined that certain disputed areas, specifically BadmeBadmeBadme is a town in the Horn of Africa and the focus of a territorial dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is claimed by both Eritrea, which considers Badme to be a part of Gash-Barka Zone, and Ethiopia, which considers Badme part of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray Region. This dispute was the...
, fall to Eritrea. Eritrea meanwhile insists on not deviating from the commission's decision. The peacekeepersUnited Nations Mission in Ethiopia and EritreaThe United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea was established by the United Nations Security Council in July 2000 to monitor a ceasefire in the border war that began in 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea....
monitoring the disputed boundary were forced to withdraw in July 2008 having considered their remaining options after experiencing serious difficulties in supporting its troops.
Ethiopia shelters 13,078 refugees from Eritrea, most notably 4,860 Kunama
Kunama people
The Kunama are a Nilotic people living in Eritrea and Ethiopia. 80% of Kunamas live in Eritrea yet make up only 2 percent of the population of Eritrea, where they are one of the smallest ethnic groups. Most of the estimated 100,000 Kunama live in the remote and isolated area between the Gash and...
.
Kenya
- Relations between the two countries date to 1954 when Ethiopia established an Honorary Consulate General in that country. In 1961, Ethiopia appointed its first Ambassador to Kenya and six years later Kenya opened an Embassy in Addis Ababa.
- The border between the two countries is based on the Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement of 6 December 1907; however, a treaty signed by Ethiopia and Kenya on June 9, 1970 determines the present-day boundary, abrogating all previous boundary treaties. This boundary has been subjected to demarcation.
- The Ethiopian ambassador to Kenya is Murad Mussa. He is also accredited to: Tanzania, the Comoros, United Nations Environment ProgrammeUnited Nations Environment ProgrammeThe United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
, and United Nations Human Settlements ProgrammeUnited Nations Human Settlements ProgrammeThe United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its headquarters at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya...
., Kenya shelters 16,428 refugees from Ethiopia.
Namibia
Ethiopia–Namibia relations refers to the current and historical relationshipBilateralism
Bilateralism consists of the political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. For example, free trade agreements signed by two states are examples of bilateral treaties. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which refers to the conduct of diplomacy by a...
between Ethiopia and Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. Namibia maintains an embassy in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
.
During the South African occupation of Namibia
Namibia under South African occupation
The history of Namibia under South African occupation began with the entry of South African troops to German South West Africa on 9 July, 1915 as part of World War I...
, Ethiopia was one of the country's leading proponents abroad; Ethiopia and Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
were the first two states to bring the question of independence for then South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Namibia gained independence in 1990 In 2007, the two governments signed an agreement which expanded air travel between the two states. In December 2009, Namibia's Foreign Minister, Marko Hausiku met with Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyoum Mesfin
Seyoum Mesfin
Seyoum Mesfin Gebredingel is an Ethiopian politician and diplomat. He was Ethiopia's Foreign Minister from 1991 until September 2010 and has subsequently served as Ethiopia's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China....
and noted the economic, science, technical and cultural agreements in place between the two countries and expressed a desire to improve the trade relations.
Somalia
- Most of the southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative LineProvisional Administrative LineA Provisional Administrative Line is a de facto border between two countries. For example, part of the border between Ethiopia and Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line....
, not an international boundary, which is ignored by rival clans within Ethiopia's OgadenOgadenOgaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
and southern Somalia's Oromo region - SomalilandSomalilandSomaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
secessionists provide port facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia - Territorial disputeTerritorial disputeA territorial dispute is a disagreement over the possession/control of land between two or more states or over the possession or control of land by a new state and occupying power after it has conquered the land from a former state no longer currently recognized by the new state.-Context and...
with Somalia over the Ogaden (the largest portion of the Somali RegionSomali RegionSomali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
) - Although the Government of Ethiopia has allied with local clans in opposition to the Transitional National Government in the past, it currently is supporting the Transitional Government against its main rival, the Islamic Courts Union. Ethiopia shelters 16,576 refugees from Somalia.
Sudan
Ethiopia and Sudan first established formal relations in 1956. Relations between Ethiopia and Sudan were very good following the end of the Ethiopian Civil WarEthiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil War began on September 12, 1974 when the Marxist Derg staged a coup d'état against Emperor Haile Selassie, and lasted until the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front , a coalition of rebel groups, overthrew the government in 1991. The war overlapped other Cold War...
, due to the support that the Sudanese government had given to the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
. However, relations were strained for a time following the 26 June 1995 assassination attempt against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
as he was leaving the OAU summit meeting in Addis Ababa. The subsequent investigation revealed that Sudan was involved in this act, forcing the Ethiopian government to take a series of steps against Sudan that September, which included closing the Sudanese consulate in Gambela
Gambela, Ethiopia
Gambela is a city in Ethiopia and the capital of the Gambela Region or kilil. Located in Administrative Zone 1, at the confluence of the Baro River and its tributary the Jajjaba, the city has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 526 meters....
, reducing the number of Sudanese embassy staff, and terminating all Sudan Airways
Sudan Airways
Sudan Airways is the national airline of Sudan, headquartered in Khartoum. The airline operates under the IATA airline designator SD and the ICAO airline designator SUD, while its callsign is SUDANAIR....
and Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines , formerly Ethiopian Air Lines, often referred to as simply Ethiopian, is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It serves as the country's flag carrier, and is wholly owned by the Government of Ethiopia...
flights between the two countries. However the start of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War led to Sudan and Ethiopia put this conflict between them and normalizing their relations by November 1999 when president Omar Hassan al-Bashir made a formal visit to Addis Ababa.
A protocol concerning Ethiopian access to Port Sudan
Port Sudan
Port Sudan is the capital of Red Sea State, Sudan; it has 489,725 residents . Located on the Red Sea, it is the Republic of Sudan's main port city.-History:...
was signed between the two countries 5 March 2000 in Khartoum, and this protocol and its subsequent amendment were ratified by the Ethiopian Federal Parliamentary Assembly
Federal Parliamentary Assembly
The Parliament of Ethiopia consists of two chambers:*The House of Federation *The House of People's Representatives...
on 3 July 2003.
Efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan were delayed by the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
. In May 2008, residents along the western Ethiopian border reportedly discovered that the government had agreed to demarcate this boundary when Sudanese soldiers forced them out of their homes. It was reported that as many as 2,000 people were displaced in the Gambela Region
Gambela Region
Gambela is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. Previously known as "Region 12", its capital is Gambela. Lying between the Baro and Akobo Rivers, the western part of Gambela includes the Baro salient....
, and the Sudanese army reportedly set fire to two dozen Ethiopian farms and imprisoned 34 people in the Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
. However, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi publicly denied that any Ethiopians had been displaced by this agreement. Negotiations over this boundary continues, with the twelfth meeting of the Boundary Commission announced 28 December 2009 at Mek'ele
Mek'ele
Mek'ele , also transliterated as Makale, is a city in northern Ethiopia and the capital of the Tigray Region. It is located some 650 kilometers north of the capital, Addis Ababa, at latitude and longitude with an elevation of 2084 meters above sea level...
, with Ethiopian representatives from the Tigray
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
, Benishangul-Gumuz, Amhara and Gambela Regions, and from the Sudanese side representatives of the Upper Nile, Blue Nile, Sennar
Sennar
Sennar is a town on the Blue Nile in Sudan and capital of the state of Sennar. For several centuries it was the capital of the Funj Kingdom of Sennar. It had an estimated population of 100,000 inhabitants in the early 19th century. The modern town lies 17km SSE of the ruins of the ancient capital...
and Al Qadarif
Al Qadarif (state)
Al Qadarif , also spelt Gadaref or Gadarif, is one of the 15 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 75,263 km² and an estimated population of approximately 1,400,000 . Al Qadarif is the capital of the state; other towns include Doka and Gallabat....
Administrations.
Ethiopia shelters 66,980 refugees from Sudan, most of whom live in refugee camps in the Benishangul-Gumuz and Gambela Regions.
The Ethiopian ambassador to Sudan is Dr Kadafo Mohamed Hanfare. He is also accredited to: Libya, Chad, Central Africa Republic, and Niger
Europe
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 Denmark |
|
|
 Finland |
1959-07-17 | See Ethiopia–Finland relations Ethiopia–Finland relations Finland-Ethiopia relations are foreign relations between the Finland and Ethiopia. Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 17, 1959. Ethiopia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden... |
 Republic of Ireland |
1994 | See Ethiopia–Ireland relations Ethiopia–Ireland relations Ethiopia–Ireland relations are foreign relations between Ethiopia and Ireland. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1994, the same year Ireland opened an embassy in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia has an embassy in Dublin....
|
 Kingdom of Romania |
Vienna Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... (Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... ). Addis Ababa Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia... . |
|
 Russia |
1943-4-21 | See Ethiopia–Russia relations Ethiopia–Russia relations Ethiopia–Russia relations is the relationship between the two countries, Ethiopia and Russia. Russia currently has an embassy in Addis Ababa, and Ethiopia has an embassy in Moscow... Addis Ababa Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia... . Armenia Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia... , Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to... , Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... , Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe... , Kirgizstan, Moldova Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part... , Tajikistan Tajikistan Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east.... , Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... , and Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south.... . Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... was a major source of military and economic aid under the Derg Derg The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of... and during the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia The People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was the official name of Ethiopia from 1987 to 1991, as established by the Communist government of Mengistu Haile Mariam and the Workers' Party of Ethiopia... . Alexander Bulatovich Alexander Ksaverievich Bulatovich tonsured Father Antony was a Russian military officer, explorer of Africa, writer, hieromonk and the leader of imiaslavie movement in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.-Biography:... Sudan Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the... . |
 Turkey |
See Ethiopian–Turkish relations
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Asia
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 People's Republic of China |
1970 | See Ethiopia–People's Republic of China relations Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2... has an embassy in Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... and the People's Republic of China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... has an embassy in Addis Ababa. By 2009, direct Chinese investment in Ethiopia had reached US$900 million and bilateral trade had grown to $1.3 billion. |
 Israel |
1992 | See Ethiopia–Israel relations Ethiopia–Israel relations Ethiopia–Israel relations are foreign relations between Ethiopia and Israel. Both countries re-established diplomatic relation in 1992. Ethiopia has an embassy in Tel Aviv; the ambassador is also accredited to the Holy See, Greece and Cyprus...
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 Japan |
1935 | See Ethiopia-Japan relations
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 Qatar |
See Ethiopia-Qatar relations
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 South Korea |
1963-12-23 |
Addis Ababa Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia... . |
Americas
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 Canada |
1960 | See Canada–Ethiopia relations Canada–Ethiopia relations Canada–Ethiopia relations are foreign relations between Canada and Ethiopia. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1956. Canada opened an embassy in Addis Ababa in 1957; although Ethiopia opened an embassy in Ottawa in 1962, it was closed the next year due to financial constraints and...
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 Mexico |
Second Italo-Abyssinian War The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire... , Mexico was the only country to condemn the occupation of the country in the League of Nations League of Nations The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace... . Since then, relations between the two nations have strengthened. Addis Ababa Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia... , Ethiopia thanked Mexico by naming a square in the city called "Plaza Mexico." Mexico then named a metro station in Mexico City called Metro Etiopía Metro Etiopía Metro Etiopía / Plaza de la Transparencia is a metro station on the Mexico City Metro. It is located in the Benito Juárez borough of Mexico City.... . |
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 United States |
1903 | See Ethiopia – United States relations
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See also
:Category:Ethiopian diaspora- Diplomatic missions of EthiopiaDiplomatic missions of EthiopiaThis is a list of diplomatic missions of Ethiopia, excluding honorary consulates. Ethiopia hosts the headquarters of the African Union. Ethiopia maintains a total of 32 embassies.-Europe:** Vienna ** Brussels ** Paris...
- Foreign aid to EthiopiaForeign aid to EthiopiaAfter World War II, Ethiopia began to receive economic development aid from the more affluent Western countries. Originally the United Kingdom was the primary source of this aid, but they withdrew in 1952, to be replaced by the United States...
- List of diplomatic missions in Ethiopia
- Ministry of Foreign AffairsMinistry of Foreign Affairs (Ethiopia)The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Ethiopian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Ethiopia....
External links
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Ethiopia's webpage
- A Tangled Political Landscape Raises Questions About African Ally of the U.S. by Michael Deibert, 12 June 2008
- Abdul Mohammed, "Ethiopia’s Strategic Dilemma in the Horn of Africa", Crisis in the Horn of Africa (Social Science Research Council website)
- "U.S. to Test Soviet 'New Thinking': Talks on Africa," The Christian Science Monitor, May 4, 1989.
Further reading
- Amare Tekle, "The Determinants of the Foreign Policy of Revolutionary Ethiopia", Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Sep., 1989), pp. 479–502
- Orobola Fasehun, "Nigeria and the Ethiopia-Somalia Conflict: A Case Study of Continuity in Nigerian Foreign Policy", Africa Spectrum, 17 (1982), pp. 183–193