Following the victory at Adwa (1896), there was a heightened global interest in strengthening diplomatic and trade relations with Ethiopia.
A large number of foreign nationals, including diplomats, journalists, writers, scientists and explorers visited the empire.
The visitors were intrigued by Menilek's wisdom and accomplishments.
Realizing the significance of the moment for the future, the emperor was equally determined to build a progressive image of his nation.
What better place to create a good first impression than the frontier town of Jaldessa?
Lord Edward Gleichen, the British courtier, officer and author who visited Ethiopia in 1897 and who was a member of Sir Rennell Rodd's diplomatic mission wrote the following:
Next day we made a long march of twenty-four miles over stony country to Garasle, a pretty little river, three inches deep, running between high banks, and a three hours' march on the following morning brought us to Gildessa.
Here we were received in great state by the governor, one Aito Merzha (i.e., Ato Mersha), who, to impress on us that we were now on Abyssinian territory, had turned out a guard of about a dozen men, all armed with rifles and carrying the Abyssinian flag.
The latter, I fear, did not impress us much, as it only consisted of triangular yellow, red, and green pennons nailed on a thin and crooked stick; but the guard of honour was very beautiful.

Most visitors came to the country through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea and many camped at Jaldessa for at least a day before traveling further to Addis Abeba, Harar or other parts of the new empire.
Thus, Mersha was tasked with providing logistical and other forms of assistance to the guests.
He was uniquely positioned to meet and interact with a large number of Europeans and other foreign nationals.
 In an article published in Le Figaro (April 1901), the French journalist and author Hughes Le Roux noted the following after a long discussion with Mersha.

Je ne sais si ce sage a lu Candide, mais depuis les années déjà longues que le Roi des rois lui a confié la clef de la première poterne de l'empire, il a vu défiler beaucoup d'hommes de toutes couleurs, de tous pays, de toutes langues.

English translation:
I do not know if this wise man read Candide, but since for many years the King of Kings has given him the key to the first gate of the empire, he had seen people of all colors, all countries, and all languages.

The following is a partial list of notables who have either interacted with or hosted by Mersha at Gildessa or Dire Dawa:
Prince Henri of Orleans (1867-1901): French Prince;
Harald George Carlos Swayne (1860–1940): British army officer and author;
Vicomte Edmond de Montaigne de Poncins (1866– 1937): explorer, naturalist and author;
Lord Albert Edward Wilfred Gleichen (1863–1937): British diplomat and author;
Pyotr Mikhailovich Vlasov (1850-1904): head of the Russian Imperial mission to Ethiopia
Jean-Baptiste Marchand (1863–1934): French army officer and explorer;
Robert Peet Skinner  (1866–1960): American diplomat;
Lucien Heudebert (1860–1949): French writer;
Jean-François-Albert du Pouget, Marquis de Nadaillac (1818–1904): French anthropologist;
Hughues Le Roux (aka Robert Charles Henri Le Roux) (1860–1925): French journalist, author and senator;
Robert Pierre Marie Robert, vicomte du Bourg de Bozas(1871–1902): French explorer;;
Peter Nikolaevich Krasnov (1869–1947): Russian diplomat and military officer;
Victor Félix Edmond Marie Goedorp (1874–1963): French publicist and author;
Benito Sylvain (1868–1915): Haitian lawyer, anti-slavery activist and Pan Africanist;
Friedrich Rosen (1856–1935): German diplomat, orientalist, author and politician; he is the brother of botanist Felix Rosen.

Kyrillos Makarios or Cyrille Macaire (1867–1921): Egyptian Coptic leader, Patriarch of Alexandria;
Cesare Nerazzini (1849-1912): Italian diplomat, doctor and military officer
William Fitzhugh Whitehouse (1842–1909): American explorer and adventurer;
Felix Rosen (1863–1925): German Botanist, Professor of Botany at Breslau University (then Germany,
Following the victory at Adwa (1896), there was a heightened global interest in strengthening diplomatic and trade relations with Ethiopia. A large number of foreign nationals, including diplomats, journalists, writers, scientists and explorers visited the empire. The visitors were intrigued by Menilek's wisdom and accomplishments. Realizing the significance of the moment for the future, the emperor was equally determined to build a progressive image of his nation. What better place to create a good first impression than the frontier town of Jaldessa? Lord Edward Gleichen, the British courtier, officer and author who visited Ethiopia in 1897 and who was a member of Sir Rennell Rodd's diplomatic mission wrote the following:
Next day we made a long march of twenty-four miles over stony country to Garasle, a pretty little river, three inches deep, running between high banks, and a three hours' march on the following morning brought us to Gildessa. Here we were received in great state by the governor, one Aito Merzha (i.e., Ato Mersha), who, to impress on us that we were now on Abyssinian territory, had turned out a guard of about a dozen men, all armed with rifles and carrying the Abyssinian flag. The latter, I fear, did not impress us much, as it only consisted of triangular yellow, red, and green pennons nailed on a thin and crooked stick; but the guard of honour was very beautiful.
Most visitors came to the country through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea and many camped at Jaldessa for at least a day before traveling further to Addis Abeba, Harar or other parts of the new empire. Thus, Mersha was tasked with providing logistical and other forms of assistance to the guests. He was uniquely positioned to meet and interact with a large number of Europeans and other foreign nationals.  In an article published in Le Figaro (April 1901), the French journalist and author Hughes Le Roux noted the following after a long discussion with Mersha.
Je ne sais si ce sage a lu Candide, mais depuis les années déjà longues que le Roi des rois lui a confié la clef de la première poterne de l'empire, il a vu défiler beaucoup d'hommes de toutes couleurs, de tous pays, de toutes langues.
English translation:
I do not know if this wise man read Candide, but since for many years the King of Kings has given him the key to the first gate of the empire, he had seen people of all colors, all countries, and all languages.
The following is a partial list of notables who have either interacted with or hosted by Mersha at Gildessa or Dire Dawa:
Prince Henri of Orleans (1867-1901): French Prince;
Harald George Carlos Swayne (1860–1940): British army officer and author;
Vicomte Edmond de Montaigne de Poncins (1866– 1937): explorer, naturalist and author;
Lord Albert Edward Wilfred Gleichen (1863–1937): British diplomat and author;
Pyotr Mikhailovich Vlasov (1850-1904): head of the Russian Imperial mission to Ethiopia
Jean-Baptiste Marchand (1863–1934): French army officer and explorer;
Robert Peet Skinner  (1866–1960): American diplomat;
Lucien Heudebert (1860–1949): French writer;
Jean-François-Albert du Pouget, Marquis de Nadaillac (1818–1904): French anthropologist;
Hughues Le Roux (aka Robert Charles Henri Le Roux) (1860–1925): French journalist, author and senator;
Robert Pierre Marie Robert, vicomte du Bourg de Bozas(1871–1902): French explorer;;
Peter Nikolaevich Krasnov (1869–1947): Russian diplomat and military officer;
Victor Félix Edmond Marie Goedorp (1874–1963): French publicist and author;
Benito Sylvain (1868–1915): Haitian lawyer, anti-slavery activist and Pan Africanist;
Friedrich Rosen (1856–1935): German diplomat, orientalist, author and politician; he is the brother of botanist Felix Rosen.
Kyrillos Makarios or Cyrille Macaire (1867–1921): Egyptian Coptic leader, Patriarch of Alexandria;
Cesare Nerazzini (1849-1912): Italian diplomat, doctor and military officer
William Fitzhugh Whitehouse (1842–1909): American explorer and adventurer;
Felix Rosen (1863–1925): German Botanist, Professor of Botany at Breslau University (then Germany, 
Mersha Nahusenay