The Horn of Africa is strategically located along important maritime routes such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, making its ports key hubs for global trade. These routes connect Europe, Asia, and Africa, positioning the region’s ports as essential components of global supply chains. Enhanced cooperation in managing these ports increases regional influence and economic significance.
Examples of economic integration through ports include Djibouti Port serves as a major hub for Ethiopia, handling nearly all of its maritime trade. The Berbera Corridor project is a significant infrastructure development aiming to connect Ethiopia to the Berbera Port, providing an alternative trade route. Lamu Port (Kenya) is part of the LAPSSET corridor, which aims to link South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya, promoting regional integration.
On the other hand, no country in the Horn of Africa can afford to finance any level of conspiracy of war. The region is already suffering from unprecedented drought, food shortage, epidemic, terrorist action as well as human and arms trafficking. It is regrettable to see that some neighboring countries are being used as Trojan horse for forces that have allied to weaken and destroy the economic efforts that the country is undertaking.
If Ethiopia starts to have access to ports in the region, the nation could certainly serve as a dependable partner country in rolling back all the above mentioned regional challenges.
For more than 20 years Ethiopia has contributed to the reestablishing of Somalia as a state and restoration of her sovereignty. The irony is the same country is falsely accusing the country for violating her territorial integrity. Contrary to such assertions, Ethiopian peace keeping forces under ATMIS foiled two major attacks in Somalia staged by Al-Shabab. Even then, Somalia branded Ethiopia as “enemy country.”
The Horn of Africa is a multi-cultural region with common history. The sharing of port facilities not only with Ethiopia but with the rest of land locked countries of the Horn will help to ensure cross cultural exchange and promotion of education and transfer of technologies. Steering up the region on legitimate quest for port is not only dictatorial but is also a call for war in the region.
Access to ports by Ethiopia could help to promote Scientific and technological cooperation among the countries of the Horn of Africa can lead to sustainable development, improved regional stability, and enhanced resource management. Cooperation in this area has the potential to address shared challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, water management, and technology transfer. Here are some key ways this cooperation could be fostered:
Countries in the Horn of Africa could collaborate on research projects, particularly in areas like agriculture, renewable energy, health, and climate resilience. Establishing joint research centers or networks across the region would allow for resource-sharing and capacity-building. For example, Ethiopia and Kenya could share technologies for better irrigation techniques to cope with water shortages.
Ports could be excellent venues and regional platforms, the countries can share best practices, innovative solutions, and technological tools to boost education, healthcare, and industry. This exchange could include knowledge-sharing platforms, regional conferences, and partnerships with international institutions to develop local skills in areas such as biotechnology and digital infrastructure.
Improved technological infrastructure, such as cross-border internet connectivity and telecommunications among countries and ports of the Horn, would promote collaboration in various sectors, from healthcare to education. Countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti, which host major ports, can leverage their geographical positions to improve logistics technology, benefiting the broader region.
The Horn of Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. A regional scientific approach to managing shared ecosystems, such as the Nile Basin and coastal environments, would be crucial. Sharing satellite data and collaborating on environmental monitoring could help mitigate risks like desertification and drought.
Technological cooperation in management of ports and utilization of energy at such locations, especially renewable energy, is a critical area. With Ethiopia’s leadership in hydroelectric power, thanks to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and Kenya’s advancements in geothermal energy, the region could benefit from cross-border energy-sharing initiatives, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting sustainable development.
Establishing centers of excellence in scientific and technological fields related to maritime science within the region would be beneficial. Countries can collaborate on joint degree programs, exchange students and researchers, and establish research hubs that cater to the entire region, focusing on solving common challenges.
By engaging in these types of scientific and technological cooperation, the countries of the Horn of Africa can achieve greater regional integration, development, and peace instead of planning to engage in proxy wars against Ethiopia
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 9 OCTOBER 2024
