Ethiopia has contributed immensely to the peace and security in the Horn of Africa.
Being in constant transition this region had been subjected to dynamic changes. A few countries of the region had been faced with factors of destabilization after forming transitional governments through elections. They were also subjected to breakup into states that led to tensions that multiplied the political, economic and social problems. Some countries of the Horn were also in turmoil that led to civil strife, skirmishes and wars.
In the previous decades there were border clashes between neighboring countries that harbored continued stalemate between them. What was surprising during these decades has been the engulfing of crisis even in the newly emerged states of the Horn. Thus, the Horn of Africa has been grappling and struggling with unforeseen violent conflicts. Experts have been arguing that the strategic location of Ethiopia at the center of the Horn of Africa has made it vulnerable to conflicts in the region. This situation has rendered it to look for regional solution in the Horn.
The fact that it shares porous borders, as well as ethnic and historical links with all of the Horn states, makes it more susceptible to conflicts in the region. Ethiopia being a regional power has been increasingly eager and prepared to assume responsibility for peace and security efforts in the region. Researchers are eager to know the extent of Ethiopia's influence in regional security matters. Related to this have been the implications of its concern for regional stability. Military interventions in its neighboring countries have always been considered a security threat to Ethiopia.
In spite of changes in governments and ideologies in some of the neighboring countries, Ethiopia's relations with its neighboring countries have been dominated by the history of their relations. Ethiopia has been able to maintain peace and security with its neighbors. However, there have been different types of threats to Ethiopia's borders from its neighboring countries, which have been solved diplomatically. Such diplomatic excellence has made the role of Ethiopia in stabilizing the Horn a cautious and calculated one.
In the absence of strong federal governments that control the territories of the Horn, extremist groups could exercise terrorist activities. They launched terrorist attacks on Ethiopia borders and the region at large. Ethiopia has always been ready to repel and fend off emerging extremist movements in the neighboring countries. As a stabilizing force in the Horn region, it has been able to trace and eliminate armed groups engaged in the channeling of weapons.
However, the armed gangs operating in the region had an impact on Ethiopia's internal security. Hidden in and supported by some neighboring countries armed groups served as proxies for harboring conflicts with Ethiopia. These countries have also been supporting rival proxies in the neighboring countries. It has been evident that the chaotic situations within some neighboring countries with porous borders with Ethiopia have increased the proliferation of weapons and criminal activities. However, Ethiopia has been able to stabilize its borders and promote peace and security in the region.
The existence of fundamentalist movements with the primary objective of creating a religious influence in the Horn, have inhabited along the Ethiopian border. They have launched a series of terrorist attacks along the Ethiopian border. Ethiopia's retaliatory actions have led the group to disappear along the border. This proved that the country's response has successfully dislodged the armed gangs from their area of operations.
After taking these measures Ethiopia has closely followed the political developments in the neighboring countries. Its military has repeatedly intervened to contain problems emerging from these countries. The Ethiopian forces intervened in the Horn areas where armed gangs used to operate freely. Ethiopia has been further alarmed by the alleged alliance of the armed gangs with those anarchist forces operating along its borders.
It has been reported by observers that some of Ethiopia's neighbors had deployed troops in support of those forces that would destabilize its territorial integrity. It took only a few weeks for the Ethiopian forces to chase the armed gangs that created havoc among the residents of the border areas.
The Ethiopian armed forces have been subjected to brutal insurgency from terrorist forces in the border areas, which have been repulsed within weeks. Immediately after repulsing the insurgents, Ethiopia withdrew its troops. The Ethiopian forces intervened only when attacked by terrorists. Ethiopia had contributed troops for peacekeeping forces organized under the auspices of IGAD and AMISOM contingents.
Ethiopia has been one of the largest contributors to these regional institutions. Ethiopia's contribution to the stability, peace and security of the Horn region has played a key role in cooperation with the other countries of the region. Ethiopia successfully averted the immediate threat posed by the terrorist forces in its neighboring countries. These endeavors have costs imposed by violent insurgencies for years, which caused civilian deaths and displacement in the Horn countries. The intervention has been costly to Ethiopia's troops, and economy at large. Even though Ethiopia claimed that it has intervened in response to the terrorist attacks, the intervention as been driven by "self-defense," and in defense of the Horn area.
Although the terrorists posed a threat to Ethiopia's national security, this was not imminent and these terrorists were small in number and divided into ethnic and clan groups. Thus, instead of launching a large-scale conventional intervention, the Ethiopian government could have conducted a more covert counter operation. It could attack some selected bases and forces of the terrorists harboring in the neighboring countries. Experts have observed that Ethiopia could not ignore the rising threat of fundamentalist radicals in the Horn countries. However, it needed to act carefully and wisely to avoid hostile relations with its neighboring states. Its military intervention in some neighboring countries for maintaining peace and order has been admired. Such interventions have consolidated peace and security that helped in building nation states in the Horn region. Ethiopia has also played an important role in establishing regional and local administrations in newly liberated areas.
The agreements and meetings that led to the establishment of regions in the Horn were facilitated by Ethiopia. These regions are closer to the Ethiopian border which ensured the facilitation of peace and stability. Ethiopia has definitely taken lessons from its past intervention and its military has been making a positive contribution to the stabilization of the countries of the Horn.
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The Ethiopian military has shown restraint, and less civilian causalities have been reported. Ethiopia has also limited its area of activity and is now operating under AMISOM. Ethiopia has also been working with the local population to re-establish local civilian administrations in areas liberated from terrorists. Ethiopia's presence has improved the security situation and facilitated access to aid and development from donors to the people of the Horn region. The Ethiopia has also trained soldiers of the neighboring countries to enhance local security. Its limited engagement in the internal political process has been a great departure from the previous approach of imposing its decisions.
Ethiopia's recent engagement in the Horn countries has been increasingly seen as constructive and positive. The international community has publicly appreciated Ethiopia's role of peace keeping in the Horn countries. It has been considered as a reliable and capable partner in peace, security and development. Its peaceful engagement has also seen appreciated by observers as an indication of its positive engagement. Ethiopia has been a close ally of the countries of the Horn region.
Ethiopia had been providing military support and a base for the liberation movements operating in the Horn regions. It had also hosted thousands of refugees from the neighboring countries during civil stiffs, skirmishes and wars. It had supported stable political systems with functioning governments, disciplined and regular military and police that ensure democratic elections. In so doing, Ethiopia has been the first country that participated in the state-building process in the countries of the Horn region. Ethiopia has been providing military training for different security forces in order to consolidate the relative peace achieved in the newly independent countries of the region.
