It is important to highlight that Ethiopia’s effective diplomacy, which attaches due importance to economic regional integration, has been playing a paramount role in smoothing the path of peace and security in the Horn of Africa, working in collaboration with various stakeholders. In the face of challenges, the country has been significantly foiling terrorist assaults forged by internationally dubbed unofficial combatants and ensuring peace and tranquility in the region.
It is widely acknowledged that Ethiopia’s fruitful diplomatic journey has been oiling the wheels of the involvement of all nations in the fight against terrorists hiding themselves under the world skies and doing away with them from all corner of the globe.
It becomes apparent that the Horn of Africa has been inundated by terrorist groups fighting around the clock to venture the region into unknown territory and set sail for uncharted seas. No matter what the cost, Ethiopia’s efforts have set in motion bearing fruits and moving forward in the right direction.
Apart from bending over backwards to distract the Red Sea trade route, terrorist networks have been making use of Somalia as their stronghold to take the volatile region from one predicament to another and from one quagmire to another.
No matter how hard extremists tried several times to back the region into a corner, they failed to accomplish their dream on account of the bravery of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.
It appears clear that the political deterioration and uncertainties in the Horn of Africa have been fashioning the anti-terrorism campaign and uniting the wider international community to unshackle the Horn of Africa from terrorism with one accord.
In a related move, with the aim of abolishing rebel groups from every corner of the world, the global community should go to the ends of the earth to work in concert with the intention of obstructing the threats of the act of terrorism from the region at the earliest possible moment.
As the Horn of Africa is swarmed with a broad range of natural resources, extremists have been leaning over backwards to move the region into uncharted waters and accomplish their motives going behind closed curtains.
Each and every one should move heaven and earth to get rid of non-state actors working time and time again to place the region between the hammer and the anvil as well as between the devil and the deep-blue sea in the timeliest manner possible.
In response to the volatile global order and contemporary security challenges facing the continent, African defense ministers and military attachés recently convened a critical conference aimed at addressing Africa’s complex security landscape.
During the gathering in Addis Ababa, delegates explored Africa’s military evolution and future strategies, emphasizing the need for continental cooperation to counter emerging security threats in the global arena.
Ethiopian Defense Minister Ayisha Mohammed (Eng.) stressed the importance of strengthening knowledge and collaboration to tackle the growing threats of cyber-attacks, organized crime, and human trafficking.
“It is impossible for a single nation to confront these challenges alone. Building strong cooperation between African defense forces is essential to shape Africa’s defense strategy against adversities,” she said.
Africa faces a range of security threats that vary across regions, including terrorism and violent extremism from groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria and al-Shabab in Somalia. Ethnic and sectarian conflicts contribute to instability, and political instability and coups undermine governance. Maritime insecurity, particularly piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and Red Sea, poses risks to trade routes, while expanding digital infrastructure has led to rising cyber security threats.
In the present circumstances, the Horn of Africa has sustained being a hotbed of terrorists that have been working unremittingly to turn the lives of the general public into a fate worth than death and an absolute nightmare.
The necessity of having collective efforts to dissuade the intimidations of radicalism by developing a sustainable solution to the ongoing mounting discord and chaos in the region is compulsory.
Taking the aforesaid reality on the ground, all stakeholders should do their part to get to the bottom of the predicaments hovering around the region. What is more, the world at large should join hands with a focus on ensuring peace and tranquility, bolstering regional cooperation, effectuating international standards and other things of a similar kind.
Unless the global community stands shoulder to shoulder with the goal of eradicating extremism, the entire world will be directly or indirectly affected. Moreover, the situation in the region and beyond will end up going from the frying pan into the fire giving a hard time to the overall population residing in the region.
Failing to avert the threats of terrorist groups posing a threat to the existence of the global community, everyone irrespective of age, sexual category, religion, education backgrounds and more of the same should unite efforts and form an alliance before the entire situation goes any further.
Speaking at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), former Minister of Foreign Affairs, (now president of FDRE) Taye Atske-Selassie said that over the years, Ethiopia has played an instrumental role in combating the cause of insecurity.
We also continue our efforts to work with other neighbor to contribute on durable basis to ensure peaceful navigation on the high seas. “We see a great need to chart a new path for inclusive maritime security engagement with equal participation of countries with stakes on both sides of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.”
Furthermore, terrorism continues to be a grave threat to the peace and security of the Horn of Africa. The growing rise of violent extremist groups like Al-Shabab and its international and regional affiliates have continued their vicious attacks against civilians and security of the region.
The region has reached a milestone in degrading terrorism owing to the resilience of the people of Somalia and the sacrifices of the sons and daughters of Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, and our country Ethiopia.
The recent maneuvers of actors from outside the Horn of Africa region undermine these efforts. Nevertheless, Ethiopia will not be deterred from its resolute commitment to combating terrorism. He called upon these actors to immediately stop their reckless actions.
The international community should recognize the imminent risk originating from these irresponsible acts and take concrete measures to prevent the loss of hard-won gains in combating terrorism in the Horn of Africa.
Since time immemorial, Ethiopia has been reiterating its unwavering stance towards fighting against terrorism and eliminating terrorist cells. In actual fact, Ethiopia’s struggle against extremism has been receiving over and over again a pat on the back from the world community as a whole.
If the Ethiopian National Defense Force had not partaken in battling against terrorist groups with the purpose of ensuring peace and tranquility, the Horn of Africa would have been a breeding ground for diabolic elements.
In the aftermath of the increasing threat of terrorism acts in every corner of the Horn of Africa and beyond, international partners, governments and others pertinent bodies should join hands with the purpose of eliminating terrorist squad and minimizing the negative impact of terrorism and extremism on the global peace and development.
All things considered, a wide spectrum of nations should get involved in abolishing skirmish, radicalism, and anarchy, which hold back economic growth of the entire Horn of Africa without batting an eye.
Similarly, as much as they can, African leaders should work more than ever before to augment their engagement in peace, security, and development on the continent of Africa in view of the fact that taking the region to a new frontier in the absence of peace will be a wild goose chase and an insurmountable mountain.
Enhancing stronger partnerships, advanced military capabilities, and renewed determination are critical to nurturing a peaceful, secure, and thriving Africa, the Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister said.
The Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh made the above remark recently while opening the three-day African Defense Ministers’ conference held under the theme “Africa: United in Peace, Strong in Security!” at the historical Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, Addis Ababa.
He noted that the continent is facing profound security challenges such as intra-state conflicts, cross-border tensions, and terrorism, and the extremist groups are taking root not only in governed spaces but also in areas where they see as their safe heavens.
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
The Ethiopian Herald November 3/2024
