Eritrea Shines at 31 While Embracing the Horn of Africa as One Family

Eritrea Shines at 31 While Embracing the Horn of Africa as One Family

Unity of the people in the Horn of Africa (HOA), namely Somalis, Ethiopians, Sudanese, South Sudanese, Djibouti, and Eritrea, is critical to the region’s future.

The unity of the HOA is also a threat to the West. Because for a long time, they thrived in the region due to the divisions and conflicts they fostered.

The people of Eritrea have worked tirelessly to bridge the connections and bring the communities together under the umbrella of peace, security, and the ability to resolve problems on our own without Western meddling.

Eritrea paid heavily because of it. Eritrea was sanctioned because of Somalia, with lies, claiming that Eritrea supported Al Shahab terrorists in Somalia.

Eritrea was sanctioned because the government of Djibouti, who, in coordination with the TPLF, lied to impose an arms embargo.

The people of Eritrea have a long history of successfully establishing relations with the people’s movements in the region from the days of the struggle for Independence. http://https://twitter.com/GhideonMusa/status/1528045702026350593/photo/1

Eritrea has experienced hardships and paid prices for the principled stands it has taken over the years. Regardless of the sacrifices, Eritrea was determined to impart the neighborly-cooperative mindset to the region’s people, and it worked.

We have seen how all the Ethiopian groups laid their arms and joined a peaceful transition in Ethiopia. If not for Eritrea’s positive role, Ethiopia could have been engulfed in a perpetual cycle of conflicts.

The transition in the region was a rare opportunity that paved the way for the current state of Ethiopia. It was a change that enabled Ethiopia to stand as a nation.

When the TPLF attacked Ethiopian troops in Tigray, Eritrea stood with the people and helped them destroy the TPLF that once posed an existential threat. The TPLF is now relegated as terrorist outlaws.

Again, Eritrea paid for it even with harsher sanctions. However, that is the price of freedom that we must pay to ensure a brighter future for a region that saw centuries of instabilities. Somebody had to take the lead. The people of Eritrea took the initiative and became the leaders and led by the example of what it means to sacrifice for a greater good.

The struggle the people of Eritrea underwent, the prices they had to pay as a result, and the sacrifices we made to cement the mindset were prohibitive. However, as the saying goes, luck favors those who are prepared. Eritreans have been preparing for a moment when the region’s people, especially Somalis, Eritreans, and Ethiopians, could come together.

It happened when Eritrean, Somalian, and Ethiopian leaders came together to lay the groundwork for a future that bases its relations on cooperation. That cemented a mindset of people-to-people ties and created a pathway to a new era that puts forward cooperation, collaboration, and a collective approach to regional integration. Again, Eritrea is paying for it.

However, this time, the people of Ethiopia, Somalia, and the region have embraced Eritrea’s position. Regardless of what happens to the political leadership, as witnessed in Somalia, the people are in sync and together. They have the same understanding that a united approach is the only way to ensure the survival and success of the region.

It is, therefore, incredibly fulfilling to witness Ethiopians making a pilgrimage to join Eritrean 31 years of Independence celebrations. We must encourage a spirit of cooperation, love, and neighborliness, especially in the diaspora, because it cements the long-term connections that we aspire to achieve.

Ethiopians are traveling to Eritrea to celebrate Eritrean Independence. On the other hand, Eritrea sent a group of entertainers to Ethiopia to entertain Eritreans and Ethiopians. This is a victory for the people of Eritrea, Ethiopia, and the region who overcame imposed and forced enmity between the people.

Conclusion

The investment the people of Eritrea made is paying off. The best part, it is irreversible. No one can tell Ethiopians or Somalis, Sudanese, South Sudanese, Yemenis, the Saudis, Egyptians, and Djiboutian that Eritrea is the enemy.

Because they know 100 % that Eritrea is a trusted friend in good and bad times, they know Eritrea’s strength and that Eritrea is a reliable friend. They know Eritrea is a pillar, a center of gravity. Most importantly, they know that Eritrea poses no threat. It is a nation that is the core, a backbone, the strength, and future of the region.

Personal note:

I am glad to see what I, Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam, Ato Neamin Zeleke, and many others worked for come to light. The challenges were humongous, but it was the correct move and the right thing to do.

Amanuel Biedemariam

Author The History of  The USA in Eritrea.