Otkrivanje Afrike
Discovering Africa

Author(s): Dmitar Tasić
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, Political history, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), History of Communism, Cold-War History
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: Yugoslavia; Africa; Ethiopia; Haile Selassie; Josip Broz
Summary/Abstract: Easing of Cold War tensions in Europe, Yugoslavia’s increasingly frequent and closer contacts with Western countries, acceptance of Western military aid, founding of the Balkan Pact and indications of successful solution to the Trieste issue ushered Yugoslavia out of diplomatic isolation that lasted since the conflict with the USSR in 1948. Parallel with this, through participation in the UN activities, Yugoslavia came into contact with several countries that shared similar views on international politics. One of the countries with which Yugoslavia has developed intense economic and political relations was the Empire of Ethiopia, an ancient and the only independent (in the proper sense of the word) African state. Diplomatic relations have been established through exchange of goodwill missions and visits of military and economic delegations. That was an introduction to two meetings of a president and an emperor who led two countries from different continents, with different histories and government orders. Ha ile Selassie’s visit to Yugoslavia in July 1954 and Josip Broz Tito’s to Ethiopia in December 1955 reinforced already stable relations between these two states. Over time, the two leaders developed a cordial and friendly relationship. Yugoslavia acquired in Addis Ababa a strong foothold for further political and economic action in Africa.

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