Strathink Editorial Team

Ethiopia’s Communication Minister Getachew Reda is not in an enviable position. As the face of the Ethiopian government, Mr. Getachew must defend the horrifying images of unrest broadcast over traditional and social media to audiences that have no idea the context of Ethiopia’s problems. Even the most sophisticated journalist has a difficult time grasping the fundamentals of Ethiopia’s complex, layered narrative. It is not an easy narrative to digest, even for the most avid student of Ethiopian politics.

Take today’s story about the last few weeks of protest and unrest in Oromia and the Amhara regions. A minority ethnic government is crushing the aspirations of other ethnicities using brute force against expressions of discontent. And the protestors—they are the faces of young men, raising their arms to protect their boyish faces against the clubs and kicks of police. Every government official should turn off the sound on their televisions and electronic devices to see what the world sees on their monitors.

Of course, the real story is not so simple.

But because the real story is not so simple, it is even more important for the government to spend time crafting a narrative that explains Ethiopia to the outside world. This is not to imply in the least that Ethiopia needs to develop “a spin” on recent events. A spin is a contrived story—biased interpretation—to lead public opinion one way or another. Ethiopia doesn’t need that. What Ethiopia needs is a way to explain itself—its views, beliefs, actions—in way that provides more context and explanation to the rising discontent in the country.

For twenty-five years, Ethiopia has failed to tell its story to the outside world. The late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was the only spokesperson for the government who could make a positive impact on external audiences. He was articulate but blunt; assumed only a superficial knowledge of his country from the audience; and told the truth. He came across as extremely intelligent, cringingly forthright, and almost artfully undiplomatic at times—but he was believable and never defensive.

The current Communication Minister, on the other hand, seems almost exasperated with the lack of knowledge shown by interviewers; angry with those seated next to him with a different perspective; and sometimes even arrogant that the outside world would question the integrity of his government. It is clear that Mr. Getachew is a very intelligent, well-educated person who believes in his government. What is not clear is Mr. Getachew’s tolerance of differing views and ability to make his case without seeming exasperated, angry and arrogant.

Strathink offers here 5 steps the government should immediately take to try and explain itself to the outside world.

1. Decide on your core messages.

The Communications Minister may be the face of the Ethiopian government to the external media, but behind Mr. Getachew are a number of political institutions directly engaged in mitigating the unrest—or the cause of the unrest. The Prime Minister and his cabinet need to decide how the government can best articulate the grievances of its citizens as well as the government’s response. This is not just media-driven. Civil society is a consumer of media. The government should develop an honest and transparent narrative that reflects the grievances of the people as well as how the government hopes to resolve these grievances. It should not be an angry and dismissive rebuttal but a clear articulation of the problem and possible solutions. Build consensus on the messaging and stick to it.

2. Use social media, not suppress it.

Social media, with all of its limitations, is the most powerful communications tool today—particularly among urban youth. The government should develop its social media plan to counter the messages being disseminated by opposition forces. Messages that seek to understand and resolve the grievances of those taking to the streets will accomplish more than what a dozen police can do with their sticks. Messages should promote peaceful expression of grievances to counter the violence being promoted by those who seek to de-stabilize Ethiopia.

3. Engage more frequently with media.

Ethiopia may not tell its story well but it has a wonderful story to tell, despite the recent disturbances. The press can be the government’s friend or enemy—depending on its relationship. The more the government engages with the domestic and international press, the more likely a truer picture of Ethiopia emerges—the successes, the challenges and the problems.

The government should hold regular press conferences across the ministries. Sensitive and complicated issues should be addressed early and pro-actively. If others frame the debate, then the government will undoubtedly lose. There should be transparency in the government’s messaging and a willingness to own up to problems and failures. Prime Minister Hailemariam has, on a number of occasions, pointed out weaknesses in the government and he came across as honest and authentic.

4. Know your audience.

An audience of foreign journalists requires different messaging and delivery than an audience of, say, university students. It is important to understand what each of your audiences needs to effectively communicate. Foreign journalists need basic information about context that can be articulated in small sound bites for the media. An audience of university students will respond better to an intellectual framing of the issues and a more substantive dialogue with government officials.

5. Take the high road.

Government officials must always take the high road in its communication—especially during periods of crisis where misinformation, disinformation, lies, rumor and innuendo seep into public discourse. There is a higher standard for governments in everything and communication is no exception. It is easy to fall prey to negative strategies such as the following: attacking the accuser; denying the crisis; finding scapegoats; making excuses; and provoking the opposition. In the short run and the long run, the government comes out looking bad.

Taking the high road is a much better strategy even in the midst of misinformation, disinformation, lies, rumor and innuendo. The government needs to communicate all the known information about the crisis to its audiences in an appropriate manner. Audiences need frequent and regular updates about the process of recovery from a particular event and any corrective measures taken by the government to address grievances. Last, there should be a constant learning process about what works and doesn’t work in communicating with the various audiences.

Mr. Getachew, we certainly sympathize with your situation. It is not an easy position to fill and lesser people would have quit by now. However, more backing from the government in terms of developing the right messages for the right audiences, more engagement with the press, and using the right communication tools will make your job a little easier.