Viewpoints | Feb 13,2021
May 18 , 2019
By Eden Sahle
Europe is a continent imbued with history, culture and magnificent architecture. It is a brand all by itself, a dazzling experience for anyone willing to visit.
In visiting other countries though, what is of note is how little people know about Ethiopia. Their knowledge of the nation does not exceed much more than its name and perhaps its geographic location.
Ethiopia is poorly represented around the world. Most people do not know anything about Ethiopia. Worse, those who do only know of the negatives. For decades, the image that has been embedded in the eyes of the world about us is of a nation that is backward, poor or at war.
Decades of weak planning and misguided economic development strategies has meant a nation that cannot depend on a skilled workforce. Instead, we have been looking for handouts, either from Western development partners or our own diaspora community overseas, most of which subsist on jobs that they would have looked down on in Ethiopia.
This dependent mentality has long infected leaders who are busy asking for aid and funds to support a fragile economy. Like much of the public, their view is of a country that is impossible to fix. The notion of a good day's work is barely existent. We have failed to grasp the concept that every developed country has had dynamic economic strategies and sacrifices to make a better nation for future generations.
Ethiopian embassies are not doing much to change the image of this country through the access they have to public figures and leaders overseas. Annual event activities in Ethiopian embassies are nothing more than ineffective promotion campaigns and do very little to build an Ethiopian brand.
Certainly, building a nation's good name is not simple. But conveying a good image locally and to the rest of the world should be one of the priorities of the government. The nation must take advantage of globalisation, in which communication, opportunity and culture are used to generate sustainable economic benefits. It is a powerful method that can allow Ethiopia to be identified in the global social and economic arena.
The government will go a long way if it can craft public diplomacy to inform and to reach citizens and companies. This would create the organisational framework in which our diplomats can be led and measured by.
A positive image cannot be crafted unless institutions and cultures are promoted, as well as national goals and current policies for sustainable economic development. Instead of working hard to be eligible to acquire aid and funds from developed countries, international relations must be directed toward establishing a good image and promoting ideals for non-nationals to take an interest in.
Ethiopia can be represented by the culturally diversified nation with untapped opportunities it has. The ever-increasing development of social media means that the infrastructure is already there - what is missing is the creativity to use this to our advantage. Public diplomacy is directly related to effective public relations at the government level, where the image of nations is successfully communicated on a brand. Hiring local and international firms can go a long way in popularising branding.
Ethiopia is a poor country, but this is not the only defining characteristic it has. It is also a tragedy that this is what the world thinks of it. Images of hunger and famine have lingered ever since the 1980s, while the successes since that moment and culture of the nation have failed to garner as much attention. A constructive image that can help the world develop an updated image of the country is overdue. The initiative should come from the government by developing a policy and putting in leadership skilled people that know how to navigate the challenges.
PUBLISHED ON
May 18,2019 [ VOL
20 , NO
994]
Viewpoints | Feb 13,2021
Verbatim | Oct 28,2023
Radar | Sep 10,2022
Fortune News | Jun 21,2026
Viewpoints | Jun 04,2022
Exclusive Interviews | Jan 05,2020
Radar | Aug 31,2019
Advertorials | Aug 19,2026
Radar | Aug 21,2021
Fortune News | Mar 19,2020
Photo Gallery | 193842 Views | May 06,2019
Photo Gallery | 183729 Views | Apr 26,2019
Photo Gallery | 180628 Views | Oct 06,2021
My Opinion | 145985 Views | Aug 14,2021
Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...
Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...
Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...
Aug 28 , 2026
Every year, the Ministry of Education (MoE) sets a national examination. Every year,...
Aug 22 , 2026
A record is a strange thing to worry about. Federal trade officials have booked the b...
Aug 14 , 2026
Aschalew Fetene, known as “Ardi” and admired for his poetic depth, has built a ti...
Aug 8 , 2026
The World Bank asks readers to picture a mother in rural Ethiopia who has never held...
Aug 29 , 2026 . By BEZAWIT HULUAGER
The federal government is increasingly relying on Treasury bills (T-bills) to repay T...
Aug 29 , 2026 . By NAHOM AYELE
Judges on a Federal High Court bench have ordered D'Afrique, one of Addis Abeba's old...
The Ministry of Revenues wants to know not just who a taxpayer is but almost everythi...
Aug 29 , 2026 . By BEZAWIT HULUAGER
Electricity supplied from Ethiopia has helped halve Djibouti's power production costs...
Loading your updates...