The Practice of Ethiopian Public Diplomacy in France since 2018
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Date
2023-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Ethiopia and France established a formal diplomatic relationship 125 years ago, during the reign of Menelik II. The people-to-people relationships between the two countries, however, date back even further. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the formal relationship between the two countries. The current study investigates the public diplomacy practices employed by the Ethiopian government and people to win the hearts and minds of the French government and people in light of the long-standing ties between the two countries and their people in terms of listening, advocacy, cultural diplomacy, exchange diplomacy and international broadcast particularly since the 2018 political reform. The study used a qualitative research design to examine the data that was gathered qualitatively through in-depth interviews and document reviews, and then categorized the data into different themes and qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that Ethiopia uses soft power and public diplomacy in France. The activities are carried out by different groups, including the embassy, the Ambassador, the diaspora, and volunteers. They are sponsored by both government and citizens. They take place both inside and outside of France. Ethiopian public diplomacy in France is mostly focused on events and experiences rather than cultural exports and other forms of public diplomacy. The Embassy and officials carry out most of the advocacy work. The coffee ceremony is primarily the focus of cultural diplomacy. University exchange, parliamentary exchange, and twin city diplomacy are the main themes of exchange diplomacy. Student exchange and Media diplomacy are rarely used in Ethio-France relations. The study recommends that Ethiopia needs public diplomacy strategy in order to win the hearts and minds of the French through the power of attraction and communication.
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Public diplomacy practices, strategic communication, soft power resources