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Ethiopia has been a scene of conflicts in which, on numerous occasions, the world´s great powers have participated. The involvement of superpowers, which at times even switched sides during the height of the struggle, exacerbated Ethiopia´s attempts to counter many ethnic separatist movements and somehow assure its survival. The Soviet Union´s massive and unanticipated intrusion on the side of Ethiopia drew the entire area into the new violent vortex. This research explores Ethiopian-Soviet relations. It begins with a brief background concerning history of Ethiopia and pre-revolutionary Ethiopian-Soviet relations. It traces the progress of Ethiopian revolution, which overthrew imperial government and resumed a conflict in the region. Having identified the main factors that have determined the Ethiopia-Soviet relations, the book investigates subsequent developments in Ethiopia´s politics, namely the government´s patterns of activities dictated by geopolitical considerations and a strategic alliance with the Soviet Union, from which consequences would arise and persist for many decades to come for all nations located on the Horn of Africa.

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Khaindrava, Devi
D. Khaindrava studies international relations whose research concentrates on theories of international security and international organization, as well as development in the post-Soviet space.

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