The literature on international and regional hierarchies has experienced a boom in the last decade particularly because of the supposed emergence of other powers than the United States notably at both international and regional level. Regional powers can behave as imperialist power, self-interested hegemons, or benevolent leaders within their region. This is particularly relevant in the Horn of Africa where Ethiopia re-emerges, seeking to confirm its presence on the international stage and become a key actor in its region. Has Ethiopia become a regional hegemon in the sens of being a leader acting with the consent of its neighbors which admit this status in the regional hierarchy (R.Cox, 2001 ; R. Gilpin, 1981, 1987; R. O. Keohane, 1984, 1996; G.Arrighi, 1993)? With this role Ethiopia would became a security provider. Since 2002, Ethiopian Government codify a new foreign policy doctrine. Development is the main objective and it need a stable environment. The region constitute a “core interest” of the state. We should expect Ethiopia to devise its own version of the Monroe Doctrine. Ethiopia is often (uncritically) thought to play an important role in the provision of regional goods and institutions, yet empirical investigations often note the disappointing performance of this kind of emerging powers. Indeed, hierarchical stability depends of the degree of satisfaction of dominated. In the international system, legitimacy is widely considered as important (T.Ward, 2013). It refers to the normative belief by an actor that an other actor is entitled to behave as it does. Ethiopia is seen as a security provider in the Horn of Africa by international actors but this hierarchy is contested inside by regional actors. So this papers examines links between international and regional hierarchies.
