Ethiopia and Djibouti have been elevating their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation that features the highest degree of mutual trust. In view of lengthening the bilateral relations, Djibouti’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Mohamed Idriss Farah has recently expressed his government’s support to Prime Minister Abiy’s initiative ‘Beautifying Sheger’ Project, the plan to develop green spaces in Addis Ababa at a cost of 29 billion Birr.
The fact that bilateral ties have been elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership is a clear indication that Ethiopia has continued playing its praiseworthy roles in ensuring sustainable peace and stability across the Horn of Africa. Since Ethiopia believes the necessity of peace for its neighbors, it has been carrying out prominent responsibilities to sustain peaceful, integrated and prosperous relations among the Horn countries. Specifically, after signing extraordinary and far reaching agreements with Djibouti, Ethiopia has played significant roles that bring their bilateral relations to mutual benefits and new opportunities for further development.
Behind this positive momentum is the rapid development of their economic partnership for mutual progress. Indeed, both nations have prioritized on the fundamental prominence of enhanced regional integration to eradicate their common enemy, poverty. To this end, they chose to pursue infrastructure investment that would promote trade and businesses. Besides the integration Djibouti-Dire Dawa highway, the Dorra- Balho Northern Corridor and power trading, Ethiopia provides food, fruits and other natural resources to Djibouti.
In response to Ethiopia’s commitment to improve their relationship, Djibouti’s government, on the other hand, has been expanding and rehabilitating port facilities and the like. This wise decision of the Djibouti government has been appreciated by Ethiopia for it provides improved services to Ethiopia’s increased trade volume.
Very importantly, the enhanced interconnectivity in hydropower, road, rail, port, water and other resources helps the two countries intensify trade, businesses, investments and other benefits and eradicate poverty, unemployment and other threats.
Fortunately, beyond strengthening their cooperative partnership, these two friendly countries have jointly been rooting out problems and having consultations on regional and global issues of common concern aiming at securing the peace and stability of the region for the betterment of the peoples of the Horn of Africa. For instance, they supported the warring parties of South Sudan to end their conflicts through genuine discussion and constructive dialogue under the shade of IGAD mediation in addition to assisting the people of Somalia in their search towards a peaceful, cohesive, prosperous country.
Moreover, the mutual trust both nations have cultivated enabled them to confidently deploy their troops within the auspices of AMISOM to help the Somali National Army fight against Al-Shabab and eliminate the insurgents from the country. These and other things are the clearest indication that the two nations have established relations that are inextricably interwoven.
Mutually, this regional integration in infrastructure development through energy, rail, and road has accelerated economic growth in Ethiopia while Djibouti has enjoyed the benefits of getting cheap electricity for its industry and business, drinking water, increased revenues, development of port and other benefits.
In short, the bilateral relations of these two friendly countries have brought mutually exceeding benefits for the peoples of both nations and beyond. The decision of the government of Djibouti to support the Sheger Project is the best indication that the Horn nations are comfortable with Ethiopia’s increasing prominence in accelerating regional integration. It is crucial that both nations ought to embrace the arms of shared vision that marches towards the prosperity and sustainable peace across the region.
The Ethiopian Herald, June 11/2019
