Egypt in Eritrea, Menace to Border Security

The African Union (AU) peacekeepers must replace Egyptian troops on the Sudanese-Eritrean and Eritrean-Ethiopian borders. It would be akin to African Union troops helping calm tensions in countries such as Somalia throughout the continent.

If the AU does not have the funds for more troops or  salaries, then they should not wait for foreign agencies such as the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN). AU must raise more funds from member nations. African countries, in particular, have the moral imperative to contribute to their own well-being starting from security.

A nation is much like a house. If one fails to secure its gates from neighbours, then one’s possessions and family members face a high risk of incurring harm. The same could happen to the citizens of a country.

History is repeating itself in the region. Way back when the Ottoman Egyptian forces and Sudanese Mahdists came to fight in the 1800s, Ethiopia was losing control of its borders and afterwards lost its leader, Emperor Yohannes IV. The AU may convene to discuss defence, but that is not enough. Egypt has no business or right to enter this region. The Egyptian government has to leave the Horn of Africa to its own devices. The AU, thus, should reflect this.

Otherwise, in the face of inaction, it will open doors for conflict, and allow terrorist groups to gain a foothold in the region.

War and conflict benefit no one. Citizens in the region, especially those on both sides of the Mereb River have suffered too many horrors since the days of European colonisation. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn must utilise AU troops to protect the livelihoods of millions of people in the region. The Horn of Africa is the only home Ethiopians have, just as much as other countries in the region.

Peace is not about which of the most potent forces win but maintaining calm in the face of challenges for the greatest good.

If the two Koreas can sit at the negotiating table for hostility that has lasted seven decades, then why is Ethiopia finding it difficult to find solutions for peace with the nation across the Mereb.

What good is the AU headquarters in Addis Abeba without protecting the country and region it is in?

By Tesfa T.

The Writer can be contacted through tesfa4944@gmail.com.


Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.