The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the African Leadership Excellence Academy ran a 21-day training program for diplomats that ended today (November 27, 2022).
Demeke Mekonnen, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, gave certificates of praise to the trainees in front of State Ministers Birtukan Ayano and Tesfaye Yilma, Ambassador Arega Hailu, and Professor Brook Hailu.
Ethiopia’s foreign minister and vice prime minister, Demeke Mekonnen, also gave a presentation about the trainees’ jobs and the country’s new diplomatic course.
Demeke Mekonnen, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, also put up a presentation explaining Ethiopia’s new diplomatic course and the requirements for the trainees.
According to him, professionalism and meritocracy will be the ministry’s defining traits, and Ethiopia’s diplomacy will be defined by practical approaches in line with the goals of the ongoing reform process.
Demeke says that Ethiopia needs to restructure its diplomacy with a focus on strengthening current relationships, making new alliances, expanding its sphere of influence, and protecting national interests.
Demeke told ambassadors to talk about pan-African values and the continent’s ability to solve problems on its own. He did this by pointing to the success of the negotiations over the GERD and the Pretoria Peace Deal, which were led by the African Union.
As for the trainees, State Minister Ambassador Birtukan Ayano said she hoped they would use the important things they had learned during the training sessions.
