Black Ethiopia

Description

Ethiopia’s place in the Pan-African Movement and independent Africa’s affairs has long been a point of academic debate. Often, the country’s contact with the Movement is downgraded to a simple inspirational role. Its contributions, meanwhile, are dismissed as little more than playing exalted host to inter-state conferences and continental organizations. Intermittent attempts at reconstructing history ascribe the motives of Ethiopian regimes to promoting and sustaining strategic national interests. The absence of an objective and critical treatment of the issue limits understanding of Ethiopia’s position in the process.

Black Ethiopia: a Glimpse into African Diplomacy, 1956-1991 endeavors to remedy this. The book examines what happened in Africa’s struggle to create a united front against common adversaries and places Ethiopia at its center. The intricacies in African diplomacy and politics, the nature of regional and continental associations, and the failures and successes of Africa’s struggle on various fronts dominate the book. Archival sources from the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shed new light on the history of inter-African relations.

Black Ethiopia creates a narrative from Ethiopia’s role in Africa’s diplomacy and politics. The nature of the imperial regime’s and military junta’s (Derg) involvement in regional and continental affairs are given special emphasis. The book attempts to paint a balanced portrait, highlighting both the achievements and failures of the two governments in African politics.

Ethiopia played a significant role in both the Pan-African Movement and independent Africa politics. Black Ethiopia documents historical events, deciphering them in the context of Africa’s readiness to create a united front.