The Horn of Africa Current Events Thread
- Thread starter Yung Pharaoh
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- africa horn of africa
T'krm
Superstar
I was planning on making a Somalia affairs megathread on here but I think it would be a much better idea to make one on the Horn of Africa in general with the recent string of diplomatic visits and increase of positive relations between all the nations in the region. With a huge population and blessed with resources, the Horn of Africa has a lot of potential to become one of the leading regions in Africa. Here’s some of the recent developments in the region
Ethiopian and Eritrean presidents visit each other and restore relations:
Ethiopia and Eritrea agree to restore relations
Djibouti opens Africa’s largest free trade zone:
Somalia joins COMESA:
Somalia president visits Eritrea:
Things have been looking good this year. Let’s hope for more of the same...
[USER=30][/user]
I was planning on making a Somalia affairs megathread on here but I think it would be a much better idea to make one on the Horn of Africa in general with the recent string of diplomatic visits and increase of positive relations between all the nations in the region. With a huge population and blessed with resources, the Horn of Africa has a lot of potential to become one of the leading regions in Africa. Here’s some of the recent developments in the region
Ethiopian and Eritrean presidents visit each other and restore relations:
Ethiopia and Eritrea agree to restore relations
Djibouti opens Africa’s largest free trade zone:
Somalia joins COMESA:
Somalia president visits Eritrea:
Things have been looking good this year. Let’s hope for more of the same...
[USER=30][/user]
How's the situation on the ground?
Is it stable enough to permit travel?
Lol, and he’s right.
Lmao, we gon need a glossary in this thread for all the waryaa slang. If by Khaleejis you mean sand cacs then yeah there is a healthy mistrust for them.
thatrapsfan
Superstar
Classic populism + the GCC social media war at work.
As @Karbaash pointed out, Abiy needed to signal his independence from the UAE as Ethiopia's ties with them become ever closer. He was speaking to a conference of Ethiopian Muslims (i.e. a domestic/diaspora audience) where this message of independence would be welcomed. Part of the suspicision related to Gulf funding ties directly to religion, and he wants to emphasize that isnt what they are getting out of the UAE.
MEE is a Qatari/MB friendly outlet so they jumped on this as a slight to the UAE, but I actually dont think the UAE considers this a diss at all. Unlike Saudi and Qatar to a lesser extent, they are far less interested in backing or projecting religious factions and are far more interested in suppressing political Islamists. If Ethiopia is on board with this message, they are likely in lock step.
thatrapsfan
Superstar
I dont think you can seperate the two. Significant moves in international relations are influenced by various drivers ( domestic, international, economic). In the case of the Ethiopia-Eritrea reconciliation there was many factors at work - the most significant was the change in Government in Ethiopia, but Eritrea's re-engagement with the outside world coincides with its closer ties with the UAE ( and I think it tired of the impact of sanctions). Over the past year or so its cut off ties with Qatar, provided the UAE with access to the Assab port, and has received financial and political support in exchange. The UAE served as the go-between for Eritrea to engage with both the U.S. and Ethiopia over the past few months - an Emirates Airlines flight even transported the Eritrean delegation that met Abiy in June and their visit directly followed MBZ's visit to Addis. The UAE's financing also helped Ethiopia forestall its currency crisis.
I think this reconciliation actually highlights how they've leveraged the UAE to their benefit. Resuming ties and ending the war is in both countries interest and using the UAE's political and economic support to reach this goal hasn't resulted in a loss of sovereignty either.
Moody
Faroole ii geeya
I understand that but how do you go about leveraging something from a county that currently has most of the leverage?
Leveraging political decisions can help in the short run but when a large portion of your foreign trade agreements include them in the picture there's going to be a power dynamic issue.
thatrapsfan
Superstar
The geographic position, the potential market ( Ethiopia's in particular), and sheer land means the Horn is a region of interest for all sorts of major players ( GCC, China, EU, the States etc).
There are many issues at play ( security, economic, etc) but I think the interest and the competition between the power players provides each country in the region a strong hand in leveraging favourable outcomes. What I think is most pressing for each country is to try to reconcile their internal political divides among political elites. Its hard to navigate geopolitics, when you cant even get your own house in order (im thinking of Somalia in particular).
Khaleej is the Arabic word for the Gulf breh
Saudi, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar etc
Ah, learn something new everyday. Yeah, those some funny guys over there. But they got money so we gotta finesse somehow.
Djibouti made a gross miscalculation by kicking DP world out.
Pushed the Emiratis right into the hands of Eritrea.
thatrapsfan
Superstar
Daily fukkery in the Horn. Farmaajo shouldve at least raised the issue of the Djibouti-Eritrea border dispute. It is true that Djibouti has done more for Somalia than the latter. Theyve got troops in Somalia, plenty of Somalis (from Somalia) have their passport, some live there, easy to transit through etc.Djibouti did place itself into a corner with its DPWorld saga though for sure.
Djibouti did place itself into a corner with its DPWorld saga though for sure.
Brehmajo still hasn't learned diplomacy
The horn is a complicated place, one must tread very lightly
thatrapsfan
Superstar
First Mengistu photo in a decade plus I think
Desalegn cheesing it up is going to antagonize people 
I wonder what theyre planning to do with him? Wouldnt be surprised if the new Zim Government,regardless who wins, tries to send him back.
Dissident Ethiopian group to return home amid reforms
NAIROBI, Aug 1 (Reuters) - The leadership of an exiled Ethiopian dissident group previously outlawed by the government has announced plans to return home in the wake of reforms led by new premier Abiy Ahmed.
Patriotic Ginbot 7 was labelled a "terrorist movement" by the government in 2009 under an anti-terrorism law that rights watchdogs have said has been used indiscriminately to silence dissent.
The organisation is led by Berhanu Nega, an economics professor and former mayor-elect of the capital Addis Ababa.
The group "has come to the conclusion that the reforms taking place in Ethiopia have formed a situation that enables the organisation to return to the country and provide its own contribution," it said in a statement.
"The organisation's leadership will return to Ethiopia within a month and officially launch its political activities."
Most of its senior leadership is based in the United States with some in European countries.
The announcement follows a parliament ruling in July that removed Patriotic Ginbot 7 from the government's list of banned groups.
Also removed from the list were Oromo Liberation Front and the Ogaden National Liberation Front - movements that have sought self-determination in Ethiopia's Oromiya and Somali regions.
It follows the release of Andargachew Tsige, Patriotic Ginbot 7's secretary-general who has British citizenship and was sentenced to death in absentia in 2009. He was arrested in Yemen five years later and extradited to Ethiopia.
Prime Minister Abiy, who took office in April, is championing widespread reforms in the nation of 100 million people which have included release of thousands of jailed dissidents and moves to open the economy to private sector players.
Abiy has acknowledged and condemned abuses by security forces, likening it to state terrorism. Ethiopia has also forged peace with sworn enemy Eritrea, ending a lengthy military standoff that followed a 1998-2000 border war in which 80,000 people are thought to have died.
Dissident Ethiopian group to return home amid reforms
NAIROBI, Aug 1 (Reuters) - The leadership of an exiled Ethiopian dissident group previously outlawed by the government has announced plans to return home in the wake of reforms led by new premier Abiy Ahmed.
Patriotic Ginbot 7 was labelled a "terrorist movement" by the government in 2009 under an anti-terrorism law that rights watchdogs have said has been used indiscriminately to silence dissent.
The organisation is led by Berhanu Nega, an economics professor and former mayor-elect of the capital Addis Ababa.
The group "has come to the conclusion that the reforms taking place in Ethiopia have formed a situation that enables the organisation to return to the country and provide its own contribution," it said in a statement.
"The organisation's leadership will return to Ethiopia within a month and officially launch its political activities."
Most of its senior leadership is based in the United States with some in European countries.
The announcement follows a parliament ruling in July that removed Patriotic Ginbot 7 from the government's list of banned groups.
Also removed from the list were Oromo Liberation Front and the Ogaden National Liberation Front - movements that have sought self-determination in Ethiopia's Oromiya and Somali regions.
It follows the release of Andargachew Tsige, Patriotic Ginbot 7's secretary-general who has British citizenship and was sentenced to death in absentia in 2009. He was arrested in Yemen five years later and extradited to Ethiopia.
Prime Minister Abiy, who took office in April, is championing widespread reforms in the nation of 100 million people which have included release of thousands of jailed dissidents and moves to open the economy to private sector players.
Abiy has acknowledged and condemned abuses by security forces, likening it to state terrorism. Ethiopia has also forged peace with sworn enemy Eritrea, ending a lengthy military standoff that followed a 1998-2000 border war in which 80,000 people are thought to have died.
Dissident Ethiopian group to return home amid reforms