Update. Ethiopia as far as I know does not have an Apartheid regime. You are free to marry anyone in Ethiopia. There are cultural norms in every aspect of society worldwide, so when you marry someone you also marry into their culture. As per the formalities for foreigners marrying Ethiopians and staying living in Ethiopia, well they are far less restrictive than say an Ethiopian marrying a westerner and wanting to move to say the USA or Europe. So my western friends my advise is marry your Ethiopian partner and enjoy the fact that you can travel to Ethiopia to be with them even if it means a little inconvenience for a while, because the US and British government are certainly making it more difficult for you to take your honey into those countries unless you can produce a handful of children as evidence of your LOVEEEE for each other as well as financial security as well as proficiency in English........ The list goes on baby. Good luck