Ethiopia’s regional engagement and foreign policy is based on its Foreign Affairs and National Security Policy and Strategy (FANSPS), launched in 2002. The country is a key player in the Horn of Africa and, despite recent internal conflict, crucial for maintaining stability in the region. Its government
engages robustly at the regional and continental level, mainly through multilateral agencies such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the AU; and it is seen as a trustworthy mediator in East Africa and the Horn. This role is aided by the relative strength of its military
and its active participation in regional peace and security operations; its capacity and willingness to combat terrorism; a pan-Africanist legacy; and its effective utilisation of multilateral platforms. Domestic problems include a grave democratic deficit; sectarian politics; corruption; the absence of
constitutional accountability, judicial review and parliamentary oversight; the violation of human rights; and extreme poverty, all of which pose a threat to internal peace and security. Its response to these domestic threats remains the main determinant of Ethiopia’s foreign policy.
