Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia - Position Paper
Position Paper
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Committee: United Nations General Assembly
Agenda Item: Evaluating the Weaponization of Trade and Technology in Global Power Rivalries
I. Introduction
1. Ethiopia, as the oldest independent state in Africa and a founding member of the United Nations and African Union,
has historically defended sovereignty, equality, and the non-interference principles enshrined in Article 2 of the UN
Charter.
2. The weaponization of trade and technology-the deliberate manipulation of supply chains, resource access, and digital
infrastructure to exert political coercion-undermines international law, destabilizes the multilateral trading system, and
disproportionately harms developing states.
3. Guided by the principles of the AU Constitutive Act, Article 3, and in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, Ethiopia affirms that economic and technological systems must be governed by rules-based, equitable
frameworks, free from unilateral coercive measures.
II. National Context and Vulnerabilities
1. Trade Deficits and Structural Dependencies
a. Ethiopia faces a persistent trade deficit, averaging 9-10% of GDP, linked to limited export diversification and
dependency on imported electronics, machinery, and critical inputs.
b. Such dependency exposes the economy to export bans and price manipulation, as seen in recent semiconductor
restrictions by major powers.
2. Resource Weaponization: GERD
a. Attempts to block financing for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) illustrate how essential
resources-such as water-are politicized to pressure sovereign decision-making.
b. This contradicts UNGA Resolution 1803 (Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources).
3. Technological and Digital Sovereignty Risks
a. Over-reliance on foreign-built 5G infrastructure increases exposure to cyber espionage and potential exclusion from
global payment systems like SWIFT.
b. The International Telecommunication Regulations (2012) call for equitable and secure access to
telecommunications for all states.
4. Debt Leverage
a. Ethiopia's 2023 debt default highlights how access to sovereign financing can be constrained for political purposes,
contrary to the UN Basic Principles on Sovereign Debt Restructuring Processes (2015).
III. National Strategy for Resilience
1. Economic and Technological Self-Reliance
a. Implement import substitution strategies to increase the manufacturing sector's GDP share to 20% by 2043.
b. Invest in climate-resilient agriculture and agro-tech to achieve food sovereignty and reduce vulnerability to global
supply shocks.
2. Strategic Partnerships and Non-Alignment
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Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia - Position Paper
a. Maintain balanced engagement with the U.S., EU, China, Gulf States, and BRICS+, avoiding over-reliance on any
single bloc (Bandung Principles, 1955).
b. Utilize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to diversify markets and supply chains.
3. Digital and Financial Autonomy
a. Join the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to bypass dollar-clearing vulnerabilities.
b. Establish national data centers to ensure control over critical databases.
IV. Regional and Continental Action
1. AU-Led Early Warning Mechanism for Economic Coercion to monitor and respond to trade and technology
weaponization.
2. Collective Bargaining on Critical Minerals under the African Mining Vision (2009) to prevent exploitation by
monopolistic powers.
3. Resource-Sharing Frameworks for transboundary projects like GERD, mediated under the AU Peace and Security
Council.
V. Global and Multilateral Solutions
1. Trade Governance Reform
a. Amend WTO rules to explicitly prohibit unilateral sanctions targeting essential goods, aligning with GATT Article
XI (Elimination of Quantitative Restrictions).
b. Strengthen WTO dispute settlement for coercion-related cases with expedited timelines.
2. Technology and Data Security
a. Negotiate a UN treaty on cybersecurity prohibiting politically motivated tech embargoes, referencing UNGA
Resolutions 73/27 and 74/29.
b. Mandate developed states to fulfill SDG 9 technology transfer commitments.
3. Financing Sovereignty
a. Support the creation of a Global South Debt Charter to coordinate resistance against coercive debt restructuring.
b. Expand BRICS+ New Development Bank lending for critical infrastructure free from political conditionality.
4. Climate and Food Security Safeguards
a. Establish a global ban on famine weaponization, drawing from Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions,
Article 54.
b. Develop climate-resilient trade corridors to ensure uninterrupted agricultural exports.
VI. Conclusion and Recommendations
1. Ethiopia calls for binding international norms to outlaw economic and technological coercion.
2. Africa must strengthen collective platforms-AU, AfCFTA, and BRICS+-to safeguard sovereignty and economic
resilience.
3. Multipolar engagement must empower states to freely choose partnerships without external intimidation.
In the words of Tesfaye Yilma Sabo: "Peace endures when development is sustainable and all sections of society
participate." Ethiopia stands ready to lead in transforming trade and technology into instruments of peace, not rivalry.
Acts, Conventions, and Resolutions Referenced
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Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia - Position Paper
1. UN Charter, Articles 1, 2, and 55
2. AU Constitutive Act, Articles 3 & 4
3. UNGA Resolution 1803 (1962) - Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources
4. GATT 1994, Articles I & XI
5. International Telecommunication Regulations (2012)
6. Bandung Principles (1955) - Non-Aligned Movement
7. African Mining Vision (2009)
8. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
9. UN Basic Principles on Sovereign Debt Restructuring Processes (2015)
10. Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Article 54
11. UNGA Resolutions 73/27 and 74/29 - Developments in the Field of ICT in International Security
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