ABSTRACT
The main concept behind this chapter is that while Ethiopia has usually been portrayed as being a uniquely different country within Africa, with ancient roots, its political development has been shaped by regional, international, and global factors, as is the case with any other region or country within Africa. It examines the multiple external factors that have significant influence on Ethiopia's political development, security issues, and its image. The revolution itself had multiple causes and in many ways fragmented the country like no other event in Ethiopia's history. The internal socio-political development of Ethiopia after 1991 can only be described as paradoxical; there were visible changes in the primarily urban areas on the one hand, coupled with the stagnating quality of social services, including salaries, on the other hand. The primary external factor that has consistently influenced the direction of Ethiopian regional and international politics is Eritrea.
