Ethiopia and Cuba
The relationship between Ethiopia and Cuba Officially established following the 1974 revolution in Ethiopia. Before 1974 Ethiopia was in the Western block while the revolutionary Cuban was in Eastern block and its Foreign Policy was interested in strengthening the International Socialist Solidarity and in supporting liberation movements in Africa including the Eritrean separatist movement against Ethiopia.
On 17 Sep 1978 Cuban Leader, Fidel Castro, visits a textile mill at Dire Dawa In Ethiopia.
When Derg (the Military Provisional Government) declared Ethiopia as a socialist state the interest of the the previous Soviet Union, Cuba and other Socialist Countries increased. At that time the Eritrean Separatist rebel organisation and the Tigray separatist rebel groups intensified their attacks against Ethiopia thinking that the country has been weakened by the internal turmoils which has been caused by the revolution.
Again another opportunistic war was declared by Ziad Bare regime of Somalia from the Eastern side of Ethiopia. Ethiopia had also being provoked from Western Ethiopia by the Sudan in collaboration with anti Ethiopian rebel groups such as EPLF and OLF. It was a very critical time for Ethiopia as its well trained professional Arm was fighting with the rebels in Eritrea to keep the countries unity and territorial integrity. The Ziad Bare Aggressive army used that opportunity and entered into the Eastern part of the country by violating Ethiopias sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Military regime did not want to move its mighty mechanised army from Eritrea and the rest of the Norther part of the country to the Ogaden Somalia front but preferred to fight with Militia recruited from Farmers. However the poorly trained and armed farmers could not defend the Eastern part of the country effectively from the well armed and trained regular army of the aggressor Ziad bare Regime. It is during this difficult time that the Cuban Government sent Cuban advisors and fighter soldiers to support their comrades in Ethiopia. I was a school boy that time and the news had grabbed the attention of all Ethiopians. One day after a noon news over the Ethiopian radio my Uncle asked me to get his Bible from his case and to read how Ethiopia and Cuba create alliance and fall together in a war front. Even though I was young very much amazed by this prophet and firmly started to believe the words in Bible! Yes there is a prophecy in Bible about the alliance between Ethiopia and Cuba!
Cuba has also trained thousands of Ethiopians and supported the development of Ethiopia in its capacity. Ethiopians love Cubans for their humbleness and discipline. Ethiopians also admire them for their bravery and fighting skills. Today there are Monuments with pictures of Cuban soldiers who died fighting for Ethiopia against the opportunistic Somalian invader army. The Monuments in Addis Ababa remind us Ethio-Cuba friendship, which has been described by the 1978 speech of Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam’s State visit to Cuba (Havana) as “ a relationship bonded with blood”.