The Role of Military Diplomacy in Ethiopia Foreign Policy

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to examine the role of military diplomacy in Ethiopia foreign policy. To achieve this objective qualitative approach was employed for the study and data was collected through interview of key informants and checklist as primary data while secondary data was from different materials in the education center and electronic materials. For this study purposive and non-probable sampling techniques were used to collect information from sources believed for their knowledge about the subject studied. To accomplish objective of the study qualitative method of data analysis was applied since it facilitates detailed study of social phenomenon based on feelings, experiences, motives and behaviors of targeted group’s and their attitudes. This study explores the dynamics of Ethiopian military diplomacy in the present time. Study found out that, the government using of military diplomacy has been shaped up by the nature of the domestic political system, geopolitics, and the international system. Overall, for an economically poor and geopolitically constrained country like Ethiopia, military diplomacy has significantly helped preserve its territorial integrity and national independence. Ethiopian National Defense Force used several categories of components of  military diplomacy, which includes; the education and training of foreign officers and cadets, Strategic Security Dialogues, Defense Attaché Offices, High-level Military Exchanges, Functional and Educational Military Exchanges, Combined Exercises and Training, UN Peacekeeping Operations, Humanitarianism Assistance/Disaster Relief, which helps to achieve as a tool for the achievement of Ethiopian foreign policy objective. This thesis paper calls for the government should use military diplomacy to create a positive image of states and Ethiopia needs a definite and structured policy and road map for engaging other countries, and the government should develop a doctrine for how it will use military diplomacy to support foreign policy.

Keywords: Military Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Peacekeeping, Smart power