An Assessment on the Practice of Strategic Communication for National Image Building: The Case of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2018-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to assess the practice of strategic communication in national image
building in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. The study assessed the roles of strategic
communication and current practice of the Ministry in promoting the country’s image to the
international community. In the assessment, the researcher collected views of practitioners
working in the Ministry and the overseas diplomatic missions of Ethiopia.
The researcher employed qualitative methodology to get detail views and used purposive
sampling technique to select key informants in the Ministry. For the conceptual and theoretical
frameworks, the concepts of strategic communication, national image building, agenda setting
and framing theories were reviewed respectively. Strategic communication guides for a favorable
image promotion of a nation in a way the promotional messages are framed and set as an agenda.
Furthermore, the Foreign Policy and National Security Strategies and other related documents
were reviewed for supporting the study as a baseline.
The findings of the study revealed that a huge gap exists in using strategic communication for
national image building in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry and missions abroad do
not use strategic communication, rather practice the traditional and conventional way of
promoting a country. Also, there is lack of coordination between or among stakeholders in the
country in promoting the country’s image. The Ministry also lacks skilled public diplomats and
communication practitioners who are familiar to digital diplomacy. Though the Ministry has
shown limited improvement in training diplomats, the rigid bureaucracy and unresponsive
working systems have still become impediments that hinder the Ministry in using strategic
communication for building the image of Ethiopia.
Based on the findings, the Ministry has to replace the traditional practices for strategic
communication to build the country’s image. In the contemporary world, the image of a nation
highly matters for developing countries like Ethiopia in attracting foreign direct investment,
tourism, and establishing friendly relations with other sovereign countries. The study also
suggests that the government has to establish an overriding institution which regulates the
disintegrated promotional activities of various stakeholders in the country.
Description
Keywords
An Assessment on the Practice of, Strategic Communication