UCI-HIM-Haile-Selassie-I-Wisdom-22-Ethiopia-World-Position

ETHIOPIA'S WORLD POSITION

Because of her unity and independence, Ethiopia had and still has jealous enemies and aggressive dissidents.

It is therefore the primary duty of every Ethiopian to safeguard the unity and freedom that has been fortified since time
immemorial by the courage and bravery of our forefathers. We have to maintain its integrity, to work and benefit from its
existence.

Ethiopia is a nation fully committed to African unity and to the greater cause of world peace and subsequently shall continue
to support and strengthen the O.A.U., which was established as an African instrument for peace and progress.

Ethiopia is, by her own choice, a nonaligned state. Our Policies on the vexatious international issues of the day have been
declared to all, and our adherence to them is steadfast: the urgent imperative of universal disarmament, the settlement of
disputes by peaceful negotiation, the supremacy of reason and logic over force and irrationality.

We insist that the way to peace among men and nations rests in the even-handed application and enforcement of the
principles of the United Nations and Organization of African Unity: non-interference in the internal affairs of others, self
determination for the remaining dependent peoples of the world, respect for the territorial integrity of independent states. In
the conduct of the international affairs of our nation, we have placed high value upon
personal contacts between peoples and leaders of nations.

Ethiopia is a peace-loving nation. Except for those times when it had to rise up in arms to fight-off aggression or to advance
the cause of collective security; there is not one instance in history of Ethiopia provoking a conflict by violating territorial
integrity or by interfering in the internal affairs of others, and there will never be any such instance. However, Ethiopia will
never be found wanting in its efforts to strengthen its defence force, sustained as it is by the traditional valor of its gallant
people, to thwart the designs of those who are bent on violating the freedom and unity of its people and its territorial integrity.