Ethiopia – Eritrea Thawing in Democracy, Economic Integration (An analysis)

Almost two months are on since hope
flickered in the Horn of Africa as Ethiopia and Eritrea put an end to
their two-decade enmity.

 

Indeed, apart from bringing an
ever-lasting peace and prosperity to the peoples of the respective
countries , the rapid thawing between these two sisterly countries would
contribute a lot in upholding democracy and justice in
the Horn and making Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
the strongest regional organization in Africa as well..

 

This is because, from now on, in every
single regional and international issues, affairs and initiatives,
Ethiopia and Eritrea will be working closely aiming at safeguarding the
all common interests of the Horn region.

 

For instance, within the last two weeks,
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Dr.Workneh Gebeyehu and his Eritrean
counterpart Osman Saleh had met several times and exchanged views on how
both countries play their due role in realizing
the recent Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship in Asmara.
According to the Declaration Both countries will jointly endeavor to
ensure regional peace, development, and cooperation. By doing so, they
will for sure speed up economic integration–the aspiration
of the people of the Horn.

 

Yes, the regional economic integration
will interlink Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan Djibouti and Somalia with the
needed modern infrastructure with a view to overcoming the challenges to
own free trade zones and customs union as well
as to ensuring free movement of the Horn African Nationals and
investors in the Horn of Africa as a whole.

 

Of course, homegrown and genuine
democracy should come to exist in the Horn region in a bid to win the
ongoing regional economic integration efforts.

 

If these two sisterly countries have been
role models of democracy and regional integration, they will attract
other IGAD member states to join the integration and democratization
process.

 

Undoubtedly, the existing exemplary and
extraordinary friendship and solidarity between Ethiopia and Eritrea
will play irreplaceable role in realizing the regional economic
integration and genuine democracy sooner than later.

 

Of course, stemming from the prolonged
civil wars, terrorist threats, recurrent political unrest and drought,
the Horn of Africa has been described as a turbulent region by a large
number of people. But, more recently, the region
is being seen as beacon of hope for several developing African
countries as Ethiopia has been registering the fastest economic growth
in the world for over one decade.

 

Moreover, unlike the previous times,
instead of waiting the international community for resolving violent
conflicts and civil strife, Horn African countries have begun to prevent
any full-scale wars in their region.

 

Hence, working towards strongest economic
and cultural ties between these two sisterly countries, in one way and
another will for sure help to bring an end to the unrest in some parts
of the Horn.

 

As many politicians and diplomats say on
several occasions that Ethiopians and Eritreans are the same people
living in two countries. This statement is absolutely true to all Horn
Africa countries and people as they have more
things in common than differences.

 

In general, for ensuring sustainable
development, peace and democracy across the Horn of Africa, strong and
far-sighted leadership is needed now, more than ever. Every fellow Horn
Africans need to firmly believe that governments
won’t stay forever for various reasons but people will stay forever.

 

Therefore, for better future of the
peoples of Horn region as whole, other Horn African countries need to
follow the footsteps of Ethiopia and Eritrea in the efforts of realizing
democracy through regional economic integration.