Ethiopia’s diplomacy contributes much to the victory

Gemechu Tussa

Ethiopian diplomacy has borne fruits. One of the confirmations of this fact could be the recent victory of Dr. Tedros Adhanom as General Director of the World Health Organization. 133 countries voted for him, and it is because of the fact that Ethiopia had established good diplomacy with countries around the world in addition to the personal caliber by the elected Director General.

The World Health Organization has got an African Director General for the first time since its foundation in 1948. It was in 1945 that diplomats from different countries met and discussed the need to set up a global health organization. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Now, the Ethiopian Hero, Dr. Tedros Adhanom has become the first African to be the Director of the WHO and has made history for himself, his country and indeed for the continent.

In fact, the extensive and commendable experience in the field that the WHO badly needs, he has what it takes to doing the best job and to help people around the world, irrespective of their culture, race, religion, gender, nationality or any other differences they might bare.

The main function of the WHO focuses on the mitigation of international public health issues, such as on communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Ebola, Tuberculosis, etc. and on nutrition, health development, food security and on the provision and treatment of occupational health and substance abusers among others.

Its 2014-15 proposed budget was four billion provided by member states and three billion from the voluntary institutions. This also shows how important the WHO is and most importantly, how important the position of its Director General is.

It is obvious that what the WHO needs right now is a person who not only possesses the much needed education, skill and professional background, but also a person on the ground tested and with a demonstrated knowledge and skill to effectively run the office and the only person who has what it takes to do the job is Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

He is a man of integrity, caring and kindness, a passionate person for his profession, a skilled scientist and diplomat and most importantly, he is humane.

Over the years, he has served not only his nation and his people, but also his continent and indeed, the world at large with dignity, commitment, perseverance and honesty. He has gained world recognition for his services, even from world leaders, such as President Bush, President Clinton, and President Obama, among others.

President Clinton, in giving his testimony said, “Doctor Tedros is one of the ablest public servants that I have ever worked with. You would all be very comfortable if he became the secretary of health and human services in the United States”.

He gets much more recognition and acknowledgment for the job well done from the entire Members of the African Union, the Caribbean and many other world leaders, international, governmental and Non-Governmental institutions and the evidences are there for any one,s perusal.

As a health minister, he reformed the institution in all aspects for the better. As a result, he has earned respect and admiration from the public at large. He laid a firm foundation in the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. 

The same is true with the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs that he headed before his candidacy for the Director General of the WHO. There too, he earned respect and admiration for his skilled and modern diplomatic approach.

The usual anti-Ethiopian and even anti-African few cry foul members of the so called Oromo Liberation front and from Genbot 7 labeled terrorist organizations who always instigate terror, anarchy and lawlessness from their sanctuary in North America and Europe trying to defame the his candidacy.

In fact, his competition though ended up affirmatively had some obstacles during the process.  That is shocking many Ethiopians to see fellow countrymen making a personal attack and trying to denigrate a candidate representing the whole Africa with a very high caliber and who has done an admirable service to our nation, to our people and indeed to the whole world. A much admired and highly respected not only nationally and regionally but indeed internationally by intellectuals and world leaders.

The ill practices of these anti-Ethiopian and anti-African mercenaries emanates from lack of substance, blind hater or mere ignorance. Unethical and uncivilized personal attack or statement against a candidate of the same nation and of the same continent has nothing to do with any democratic and civilized comment because it is simply unacceptable least to say.

Few opposition baseless finger pointing and personal assassination on personalities is therefore a sign of uncivilized, inexperience and vacuum or hollow arrogance based on hate, racism, xenophobia and retribution.

Comments aspiring to represent the interest of the public at large must focus on issues, substances, programs, strategies and tactics to help their nation and the public at large and not on cheap personal attacks, insults and unethical comments that can backfire and that can have detrimental and regrettable effect on own personalities.

Candidates are judged by those nations who cast votes and those who cast votes want among others gentle, intelligent and wise leader. They want to see and hear substance not insult; so those who are baselessly finger pointing on Dr. Tedros or any other respected personalities have to learn to be careful not to insult the intelligence of the public at large.

What these people failed to comprehend is the fact that the election of Dr. Tedros Adhanom as Director General of World Health Organization is the result of the country's all over diplomatic success and the development at home. It is a public secret that the hero is the result of the growing and emerging country's fruit in the past three decades.

The image of Ethiopia is now changed completely. The world knew what is going on in Ethiopia and what the people and government of Ethiopia have been doing. President Mulatu Teshome also emphasized this key issue while addressing the Ethiopian people in connection to the 26th founding Anniversary of May 28.

He said, "May 28 has completely changed Ethiopia's unpleasant image in all aspects apart from allowing the people of Ethiopia to build a constitutionally guaranteed democratic unity"

It is absolutely right that the image of the country has already changed. This situation emanates from its diplomatic efforts and the development at home. The election has this base and in fact the individual caliber is also undeniable.