For over the last one and half years, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia have been enjoying a time-tested all-weather friendship while deepening all-round cooperation.
Indeed, when Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, President Isaias Afwerki and President Mohammed Abdullahi signed a joint declaration on friendship and comprehensive cooperation in Asmara on September 5, 2018, many described this tripartite pact as a historic accord. This is because the pact would surely develop relations and cooperation to the best interest of the three countries and their people.
Moreover, the historic tripartite pact has given a flicker of hope across the Horn of Africa, a sub-region which had been described as the most volatile for various reasons. In fact, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia have been expressing satisfaction with the progress made, particularly in implementing the tripartite agreement.
The ongoing tripartite summit in Asmara, by and large, would help them to step up collective efforts for the consolidation of tripartite cooperation and regional integration.
No doubt, today’s Horn of Africa is far more peaceful than twenty two years back. The current stability and peace in the region has not come without paying heavy human and material sacrifices. Particularly, Ethiopia and Eritrea had been in front line of pacifying Somalia and their contribution to this end have been tremendous and could be taken as important lessons for other countries in the world as well.
Thanks to the peace loving people of the Horn of Africa, visible and incredible progress has been made in all spheres of life in the region. These days the largest part of the Horn of Africa is able to breathe in peace. A number of people who hail from this region and used to live in exile for several years, are now beginning to return to their respective homeland in a bid to contribute their part in rehabilitation and development endeavours across the region.
Apparently, here and there, some anti-peace elements are making desperate attempts to disrupt the peace and stability of the region carrying out various attacks and fomenting chaos in the region.
However, the all- weather friendship among Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia will surely make the Horn of Africa – a region of peace, stability, development and prosperity. The existing fruitful cooperation among these countries is also a big slap in the face for naysayers who have been saying that peace and stability could not be ensured without upholding the narrow interests of some non-state actors and their funders as well.
In summing up, the exemplary relations among these three sisterly countries will help all to exploring new avenues of cooperation and allowing them to further strengthen their long and historic friendship as well as solidarity.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 28/2020
