Country urged to build strong defense force

08 September, 2008 The Africa Monitor

ADDIS ABEBA(September 8,2008) - Ethiopia should concentrate on building its defense for the sake of stabilizing and creating suitable condition for economic development, a former General called on.

Building defense capacities can have a positive outcome in economic development of the country which is situated at the most volatile region of Africa, said Tsadkan Gebretinsae, Former Lieutenant General at the Ministry of Defense.

National defense building has a vital role in stabilizing and creating suitable condition for the economic development of countries, he said presenting a research under the title "National Defense and Ethiopian Economic Development" on Friday.

Tsadkan who is currently Executive Director at the Center for Policy Research Development Institution said that states, in order to sustain peace and development in addition to defending from foreign as well as local insurgent forces, ought to build national defense capacities.

According to Tsadkan, building national defense can depend on the condition of relationship a country maintains with neighboring countries.

The horn of Africa has a long history of civil wars and wars among countries in which, for instance, the geo-political presence of Ethiopia comprising of multi nationalities of people and being the "water tower" source may have its own contribution to instigating and aggravating conflicts of interests, he said.

Ethiopia, therefore, needs “strong defense force to safeguard the peace and security of the region as well as its economic development"

The impact of globalization and intercontinental technological advancements are changing the trend of political conflicts which also encompass political, economic, social, cultural and other factors, he said. Without the positive cooperation and diplomatic interdependence between countries keeping peace and security does not often materialize.