BY ADDISALEM MULAT
Since time immemorial, Ethiopia has been playing a major role in maintaining peace and tranquility in the Horn of Africa. From sending peacekeeping missions to mediating conflicting parties, Ethiopia holds a central place in pacifying the warn-torn and volatile yet strategic region.
Ethiopia also stands shoulder high in a region which is a hotbed for terrorism and human trafficking. With its growing economy and political influences, the country also wields a great leverage in brokering peace deal among warring parties in states located in the Horn. Ethiopia has for instance played a key role in finding a gray line between the conflicting parties in Sudan and South Sudan.
It is also no secret that Ethiopia leaves no stone unturned to secure peace and tranquility in the Horn region and the rest of Africa. Obviously, Ethiopia is known for sending its troops to various war-ravaged regions in Africa under the umbrella of the peacekeeping mission and getting to the bottom of the problem in a peaceful atmosphere.
Ethiopia is a predominant provider of UN peacekeeping determinations. The country is always widely known for paying the ultimate price in the service of peace in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan.
Ethiopia occupies first place in troop contributions to UN peacekeeping operations around the world for the most part in the Horn of Africa. While on the subject, Ethiopia has been sending troops to the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Against this backdrop, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces have been playing a role in maintaining peace in Somalia. Likewise, Ethiopia left no stone in ensuring peace and tranquility in Congo and Rwanda.
Against this background, Ethiopia has been faced with an increasing foreign pressure from some western countries. And, an aggression against Ethiopia amounts to an aggression against the entire Horn Africa.
As Ethiopia and its people stand united to eliminate the terrorist TPLF group and fend off external pressure, African nations particularly Horn countries should stand by its side in its hour of need. Notwithstanding the fact that the government of Ethiopia has been making an effort to familiarize the international community with regard to the evil deeds of the terrorist TPLF group, some westerners have been giving the cold shoulder to the existing reality on the ground.
In the last few weeks, Ethiopia has increased its diplomatic engagement with Horn region countries to create a clear understating of the situation in Ethiopia and the region.
Lately, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir in Addis Ababa to discuss on wide-ranges of bilateral and regional issues.
During the talks, Salva Kiir has appreciated the Ethiopian government’s efforts in ensuring peace and stability prevails in the world’s youngest nation. Kiir made the remarks after his delegation concluded a one-day official visit to Ethiopia on Thursday.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the South Sudanese leader mainly discussed ways of strengthening bilateral ties and regional issues of mutual concern.
The two leaders also discussed ways of boosting economic ties and joint infrastructure development to further facilitate economic ties. The Ethiopian Prime Minister briefed the South Sudanese delegation on the current issues in the country, including the positive economic performance of key sectors despite the many challenges that Ethiopia has been facing such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, President Kiir and his visiting delegation congratulated the Ethiopian Prime Minister and his government upon the recently concluded general elections. He also commended the successful second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and affirmed that South Sudan continues to attach great importance to relations with Ethiopia.
The South Sudanese leader further appreciated Abiy’s government efforts to safeguard the constitutional order in Ethiopia, highlighting the importance of non-interference by external parties in Ethiopia’s current domestic challenges.
President Salva Kiir on his part congratulated the Prime Minister and the Government for the peaceful conclusion of the 6th National Election; he also commended the successful second filling of the GERD and reaffirmed that South Sudan continues to attach great importance to the relations with Ethiopia. He condemned the attack of the Northern Command by TPLF which initiated an armed conflict and appreciated the Government’s effort to safeguard the Constitutional order, highlighting non-interference by external parties in Ethiopia’s current domestic challenge.
“Thank you to President Salva Kiir for the commitment to strengthen ties between our two countries. In our discussions, we have also explored the necessity to build on economic ties through infrastructure development. All-weather friends like South Sudan are essential in our time of need,” said Abiy in his official social media account after receiving Kiir.
Premier Abiy also visited Uganda and Rwanda conferring with the presidents of the two countries on various issues. Abiy has discussed multiple bilateral and multilateral issues with the two leaders.
Regarding the premier’s visits, Bahir Dar University Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Studies, Yayew Genet told The Ethiopian Herald that the official state visits to these countries would also signal a message for the special interest group that Ethiopia and its neighboring countries are working together to uphold their common interests at this critical juncture.
Apart from showing solidarity among Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda, the visits are crucial in light of the current security situation in Ethiopia and some foreign forces’ undue pressure on our country,” he said.
He also stated that Ethiopia is one of the strategic countries in the region and has all-weather ties with most of the East African countries. “Moreover, Ethiopia has well experienced and trusted diplomatic roles in solving regional and internal conflicts.”
He further opined that such visits and talks are decisive for the countries in the region in a bid to safeguard common interests across the region. “Better unity leads to better peace.”
As to him, at this time when some foreign forces are maximizing unwarranted pressures on Ethiopia, Premier’s talks with the leaders of neighboring on common issues and the cooperation have vividly shown that Ethiopia is not alone in fighting terrorism in the region.
The ongoing strong cooperation among these sisterly countries would force these foreign forces to reconsider their stance on Ethiopia, he added.
He also noted that what Ethiopia is doing now is preserving its own national interest by strengthening national unity, maintaining territorial integrity, and implementing development options without harming the national interests of others.
He further stated that Ethiopia is playing a key role not only in safeguarding its own national interests but also in helping Africans to work together, promoting African solutions to African problems in the continent, using Africa’s resources wisely, making Africa economically self-sufficient.
It is to be recalled that Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union announced on August 26 the appointment of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as his High Representative for the Horn of Africa region. This decision is part of the African Union’s drive to promote peace, security, stability, and political dialogue all over the Horn of Africa region. Specifically, the High Representative will intensify engagements with all relevant political actors and stakeholders in the region towards entrenching durable peace and stability within the Horn of Africa, according to information obtained from MoFA.
The Ethiopian Herald September 1/2021
