Ethiopian Development

Though the US is currently occupied with rebuilding Iraq, countering Iran's influence, and securing Afghanistan, the American Foreign Service will be challenged in the 21st century by an emerging regional power in Eastern Africa: Ethiopia. Ethiopia has become a regional military might, an ally in the War on Terror, a human-rights violator, and is ruled by an indifferent government. The situation will test the US Foreign Service's hopes to utilize Ethiopia as an ally, not an enemy. It will challenge the Foreign Service to ensure Ethiopian support for combating Islamic terrorism and regional stability, while simultaneously denouncing human-rights violation and emphasizing policy reforms.

Ethiopia has proven that it is a valuable ally in the War on Terror by assisting the US in Somalia. The failed Somali state became an incubator for Al Qaeda, threatening to destabilize the Horn of Africa. With the approval of the US, Ethiopia intervened militarily in Somalia, sending forces to stabilize the country and act as peacekeepers ("Ethiopia Action"). The US worked closely with the deployment and conducted air raids that were based on Ethiopian intelligence ("Loveless Liaison"). The intervention in Somalia illustrates the growing Ethiopian ability to multilaterally cooperate with the US to alleviate trouble spots in Africa. An Ethiopian force could possibly have the capability of assisting operations in Zimbabwe, Darfur, and conceivably even Iraq.

However, before Ethiopia's military potential can be achieved, the Foreign Service will first have to work diligently to resolve the Ethiopian-Eritrean border conflict. Due to a border disagreement, in 1998 trench warfare erupted between Ethiopia and Eritrea over an inconsequential plot of land, killing tens of thousands, and prompting UN intervention ("Ethiopia / Eritrea War"). The UN force and tensions still remain, and; the possibility of a renewed war "is very real" (McCrummen). In order to end hostilities, the Foreign Service will have to use a combination of peaceful demarcations negotiations, threats of USAID reduction, military hardware stipulations, and, if necessary, economic sanctions. Currently, USAID provides US$118 million to Ethiopia, mainly to overcome the threat of recurring food insecurities ("USAID's Strategy"). Also, the US provides the Ethiopian army with arms and technical service. These provisions are crucial to Ethiopia's development, and the mere threat of cutbacks should prompt negotiations. However, in the highly probable event that a border war erupts, economic sanctions will have to be imposed, causing severe damage to Ethiopia's coffee industry, the heart of the economy. If these or similar steps are not taken, the alternative could be a war resulting in the deaths of thousands due to national pride. Only after this border conflict is peacefully resolved can Ethiopia start focusing its resources towards other initiatives that are in both the US's and Ethiopia's common interests.

As with all human-rights infractions, the Foreign Service will have the difficult task of reducing the frequency of unwarranted atrocities committed on Ethiopian farmers by the government. More than 80% of Ethiopia's labor force is involved in agriculture (Wright), creating a disparity between farmers and the ruling city-class that is reluctant to transfer political autonomy to the rural areas. There have been widespread reports of arbitrary detentions, torture, disappearances, and excessive force used by police and soldiers against anyone they suspect of supporting or connected to sometimes nonexistent paramilitary forces ("Ethiopia, Human Rights"). As recently as February 2008, reports detailed abuses committed against the Gewada ethnic tribe by the government, resulting in the death of over 30 people and severely injuring close to 50 ("Demands for Self-Administration"). With the Foreign Service's commitment to protecting human-rights, an ultimatum will have to be reached with the government to ensure that these violations will not continue. The US does not support countries that actively engage in crimes against humanity, and therefore cannot overlook these issues while concurrently providing alimentations. It will be the responsibility of the Foreign Service to persuade the government to halt its discrimination against the agrarian society without alienating the Ethiopian government over its human-rights record. Negotiations could potentially be precarious, with a strong probability of the Ethiopian government refusing to acknowledge their transgressions. However, in addition to world wide media attention, diligent consultations by the US State Department should effectively resolve the current humanitarian crises and prevent future ruptures.

In order to most efficaciously resolve the border conflict and prevent human-rights abuse, the Foreign Service has to first strengthen the Ethiopian economy and infrastructure by better management and allocation of US supplies. Even though agriculture is the staple of the national economy, it is severely underdeveloped despite fertile land, a diverse climate, and a large labor pool ("Ethiopia-Agriculture"). The agriculture sector has preformed badly because of a weak infrastructure and the use of low-level technology, making it susceptible to drought. The US donated US$500 million dollars in food aid in 2006, most of which went towards feeding impoverished peasants (Fick); however, little was allocated towards ending their hunger. The US Foreign Service should invest in irrigation networks and transportation systems to increase farming output, rather than continuing to send temporary food sustenance. This will make Ethiopia more self-sufficient and better able to cope with future droughts ("Joint Statement"). Additionally, the Foreign Service will have to pressure the government into implementing policy reforms that emphasize free trade. Due to government restrictions that favor American coffee corporations, Ethiopian farmers make US$0.10 per kg of coffee, which will sell in Western countries for US$26 ("Starbucks Agrees"). Cajoling the government to remove taxes and quota barriers will allow farmers to generate more money, strengthening the economy. A sustainable economic development that ensures adequate food supplies and free trade will provide the foundation for Ethiopian society to flourish.

American foreign policy will be challenged in the 21st century by Ethiopia. To utilize Ethiopia as a valuable ally, the Foreign Service must resolve border disputes with Eritrea, reduce human-rights violations, and strengthen the country's infrastructure and economy. Though these efforts will be laborious, the end result will be a free and stable Ethiopia, uplifting all regional countries, and providing a model for African prosperity.