Political and National Boundaries and Organization

The Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee (EBAC) was established in response to negotiations between the Ethiopian government and the government of the Sudan. This would affect Ethiopia's territorial integrity, national independence and sovereignty and the interests of millions of Ethiopians for many generations to come [1]..

Table 1

Factors influencing the evolution of Ethiopia’s political settlement [2]

Historical (1889–1991)	Contemporary (1991–2015)
1. A legacy of centralization, control and coercion continues to influence styles of rule and administrative approaches	1. The partial transition of the TPLF/EPRDF from movement to political party creates strong leadership structures that rest partly on internal control and a lack of external transparency
2. A legacy of exclusionary rule with ethnic undertones limits broader distribution of power and risks counter-mobilization(s)	2. The expectation that TPLF/EPRDF rule will continue perpetuates a single-party monopoly
3. The volatility and insecurity of the region requires and perpetuates securitized approaches to (political) conflict	3. Political power and economic interests are fused and harnessed to a national strategy of state-led economic development

Historical political parameters for the organization of security[3]

The historical factors that influence Ethiopia’s political settlement point to the following broad parameters for the organization of security:

• The historical use of centralization, control and coercion as methods of governance over a vast space with complex terrain and a diversity of peoples indicates a tradition of political use of state security organizations as instruments to project central authority.

• A legacy of exclusionary rule with ethnic undertones suggests that partisan control over state security organizations is a long-standing characteristic of governance and a necessity for maintaining existing power and privileges.

• A volatile and violent neighborhood has historically required the maintenance of a strong state security apparatus to ensure Ethiopia’s continued safety and to defend its interests. At the same time, this has perpetuated a secularized outlook and risks prioritizing militarized responses.

The Ethiopian Constitution offers a clear compass in respect of the principles and spirit of regional security provision that could help chart an acceptable path between maintaining the present level of centralization and control on the one hand, and giving more meaning to the idea of subsidiarity on the other. If done in consultative fashion, it might also be a low-profile method of establishing a practice and habit of local and community dialogue in a sensitive issue area [4].




[1]"A National Call to Defend Ethiopia's Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity." A National Call to Defend Ethiopia's Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity. N.p., 02 Dec. 2015. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. <http://www.ethiomedia.com/aa2nov15/4549.html>.

[2]"Past and Present of Political Power in Ethiopia | Power, Politics and Security in Ethiopia."Past and Present of Political Power in Ethiopia | Power, Politics and Security in Ethiopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. <https://www.clingendael.nl/pub/2016/power_politics_and_security_in_ethiopia/1_past_and_present_of_political_power_in_ethiopia/>.

[3] ibid

[4]"Conclusion | Power, Politics and Security in Ethiopia." Conclusion | Power, Politics and Security in Ethiopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. <https://www.clingendael.nl/pub/2016/power_politics_and_security_in_ethiopia/conclusion/>.