Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.
Regional peace deserves collaborated action
Tesfaye Lemma
The people in the Horn of Africa have been suffering of natural and man-made disasters since time immemorial. At different times they suffered of natural disasters like drought and flood. At other time they suffered of civil and cross country wars and disputes. As a result, the region remained being volatile and the people were coerced to lead miserable life for decades. However, it is in the recent years that these people have begun to enjoy peace. There are now challenges to it in the Horn if a serious measure is not taken by all concerned bodies peace loving countries.
What is going on the Horn of Africa so sadistic aimed to jeopardize the ongoing developments and poison the peace that gave room to the countries around to breathe unpolluted air. Now that things seem so serious that many scholars express their concerns on what will happen next. On one hand the Eritrean Government has moved its military to the place where it shared with Djibouti following the evacuation of the Qatari force from the area.
This is one of the festering and peace threatening incidence in the region that deserves collaborated efforts. The second major problem that opted to escalate situations in the volatile region is the latest development of Arab coalitions military basement in the port of Assab. In fact, there is one bare fact justified by the coalition. They made vivid that they preferred that basement with the intention of fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen. However, there are some controversies.
Political analysts argue that this military basement obviously will open an opportunity to the state in Asmara not only to violate the international ban on it but also to extensively accomplish its peace poisoning activities through training and supporting terrorist groups in the area.
It was in 2009 that the United Nations Security Council laid the sanction on the State in Asmara due to its support to terrorist groups in the Horn Region particularly due to its link with the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabab militants. Despite the sanction, Eritrea has continued its destabilizing efforts. The 2016 report by the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group underlined the fact that Eritrea has been assessing countries to collaborate militarily so that it could get an opportunity to carry out its peace poisoning activities.
Then it started its strategic military relationship with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which may undermine the outcome of the sanction. It also proved the construction of permanent military base at Asseb air and a sea ports.
Now that there is a looming challenges in the region that the state in Eritrea has engaged in destabilizing activities that it increasingly maximizing that ill activity instead of at least showing any sign of decline. Djibouti’s accusation over Eritrea’s troops’ occupation of its territory mountain following the Qatari withdrawal from the area. Al Shabab’s attacks on Somalia and Kenya continued while the regime trains, arms and equips terrorist groups.
This basement that is believed to give a wide opportunity to the Eritrean government policy should carefully be dealt with for Issias is attempting to throw Ethiopia’s national security in a complicated sphere of influence.
Ethiopia is big enough to play a constructive role both in Eritrea and the Gulf Cooperation Countries. The presence is not a problem, but their presence if it is to assist the regime in different ways; the Eritrean government will use it for destabilizing activities. Many political analysts argue that Ethiopia should revise its policy towards the State in Eritrea so as to watch its peace and the peace in the entire region.
In this case, the political clique would resume flexing its muscle. Thus, Ethiopia should devise another policy towards Eritrea that helps to ensure our security and economic interests.
The existing Ethiopian policy towards Eritrea does not completely slam doors for peaceful relations with the country. It states that the two countries can enter into an era of cooperation, the former to get sea access and the latter to get electricity and market for its products, provided changes in Eritrea’s regime or its policies. But, what is at stake is both seem far- fetched goals. Thus, the policy change seems timely.
Ethiopia should clearly understand the prevailing Horn dynamics and devise another policy that would invite Eritrea to come to negotiation table. If the status quo is maintained, obviously, Eritrea would continue twisting any event available to its advantages, whether it affects individual countries in the Horn or not.
The importance of a new policy but never sees any docile nature of the Issias regime. The regime has long failed to decide its own fate, and has no time to succumb to peace deals. He backs his argument mentioning the shaky foreign relations Eritrea long pursues.
It is therefore paramount important that the for the Ethiopian government to design a possible policy which is timely and appropriate to handle such hostile towards Eritrea, details are yet to come. Besides, any development in the Horn is linked with regional economic development and integration. The countries making any alliance with Eritrea should make sure whether their relationship is against the interest of the people of the Horn of Africa.
The Arabian countries have stronger relationship with Ethiopia in particular and the horn of Africa in general. It is of paramount importance to maintain this relation positively. Ethiopia has been working industriously to develop its economy. It is also working hard to realize economic integration among all Horn countries. However, this will be possible if only if peace has thrived in the region in particular and the continent in general.
So far, most of the Arab countries are strong alliances of Ethiopia in trade and investment. The bigger opportunity to Ethiopia is to tap its ever maturing relations with the Arabian countries to put pressures on Eritrea besides the policy option. The agriculture, investment and market potential of Ethiopia are important elements in their relations, apart from the historical, religious and cultural similarities.
Ethiopia’s partnership with these countries is so crucial and it has to be maintained. The trade and investment relations were strong but this will be guaranteed if there is lasting peace in the region. In this regard, these countries need to play a significant role through refraining from assisting the Eritrean government in different aspects as it is well read that the state in Asmara has been allotted more than 70 percent of its budget for military and other logistics and training for terrorist groups in the Horn region. If the peace in the Horn of Africa is to be maintained it is crucial for all concerned bodies to come together and take a serious action on peace poisoning elements .
