Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has intensified efforts to strengthen the country’s electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, recognizing the domain as a critical matter of national survival in modern warfare.
Speaking at the first-ever National Electronic Warfare Workshop held on Tahsas 25, 2018 (Ethiopian Calendar), Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, stated that electronic warfare has become an indispensable pillar of contemporary conflict, requiring sustained national focus and investment.
The workshop was convened under the theme “Electromagnetic Spectrum Dominance for National Sovereignty.” It brought together senior government officials, security leaders, and experts to assess Ethiopia’s current capabilities and chart a strategic path forward.
Field Marshal Birhanu noted that significant work is underway to enhance national capacity in electronic warfare, stressing that mastery of the electromagnetic spectrum is now as vital as dominance on land, sea, air, and cyber domains. He emphasized that building a skilled workforce and equipping institutions with modern technologies are central to safeguarding Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
He further underscored that electronic warfare development should be integrated into the country’s broader Digital Ethiopia 2030 agenda, citing the program’s progress and tangible results as a foundation for advancing national defense technologies.
The Chief of Staff also called for consolidating fragmented national capabilities and prioritizing domestic production, highlighting the importance of self-reliance in critical defense technologies.
Describing the workshop as timely and historic, Field Marshal Birhanu said it lays a strong foundation for aligning Ethiopia’s accumulated experience with rapidly evolving global technologies in the electronic warfare domain.
For his part, Ambassador Redwan Hussein, Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), delivered an in-depth briefing on global and historical trends, explaining that in today’s dynamic international environment, technological superiority—particularly control of the electromagnetic spectrum—determines strategic power and influence.
Ambassador Redwan stressed that ensuring Ethiopia’s genuine sovereignty requires competitiveness in electronic warfare, urging that ongoing efforts in the sector be further strengthened and sustained.
The event also featured welcoming remarks by W/o Tigist Hamid, Director General of the Ethiopian Defense Engineering Industry Corporation (EDEIC).
The workshop was attended by senior officials including Federal Police Commissioner General Demelash Gebremichael, high-ranking government and military leaders, security and intelligence officials, and subject-matter experts, underscoring the national importance attached to electronic warfare as an emerging frontier of defense.
