Opinion

Saudi Arabia: Achievement of peace!

October 01, 2018
Saudi Arabia: Achievement of peace!

Hussein Shobokshi



The historic peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia signed recently in Jeddah under the auspices of the UN puts an end to one of the world’s most difficult, prolonged and bloody conflicts.

The conflict between the two African nations was shaped by many events. The Italian and British colonization of the region led to the demarcation of unfair geographical borders exacerbating the grievances of the peoples of the two countries. When Ethiopia during the reign of Haile Selassie forcibly incorporated the territory of Eritrea, conflicts turned into armed battles with underground cells and organizations.

Setbacks and victories continued until the popular referendum of 1993, in which Eritrean independence from Ethiopia was recognized, and the latter acknowledged the outcome of the referendum. However, personal differences between the two heads of state affected stability, with border claims being among the most controversial points.

In 1998, there was renewed violent fighting between the two countries, with a ceasefire finally declared under the auspices of Algeria. In 2000, more than 100,000 people died, thousands were wounded and disabled and more than six billion dollars were lost. A ceasefire agreement was reached and the matter referred to international arbitration. Thousands of soldiers were posted on the border as Eritrea insisted on the implementation of the provisions of international governance. In 2009, the United Nations imposed sanctions on Eritrea for its support of Somalia’s terrorist youth movement.

The situation remained unchanged until Abiy Ahmed became Ethiopia’s new prime minister earlier this year. He expressed a serious desire for peace with Eritrea, visited Asmara and publicly called for peace between the two nations. All of these developments were followed by Saudi authorities, and frequent visits to the two countries and painstaking talks behind the scenes melted the ice and removed differences between the two parties, and culminated finally in the historic peace agreement signed in Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia, which has a great interest in Africa, has appointed its most experienced diplomats to deal with relations with the continent. The Kingdom considers East Africa an important region and an extension of its national security in light of the strategic importance of the Red Sea in terms of security, investment and navigation. Saudi Arabia is convinced that peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea will have an important impact on other troubled areas such as Somalia, which has become a dangerous hotbed of terrorist organizations.

The historic Jeddah peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia is no less important than the Taif agreement, which ended the civil war between Lebanese factions after more than two decades of fighting and destruction. The Jeddah peace accord is a great diplomatic achievement that enhances the Kingdom’s international diplomatic position and leadership.

The historical relations of Saudi Arabia with Eritrea and Ethiopia are well known and allowed the two parties to resolve their differences with the aid of Saudi diplomacy. The testimony of the Secretary General of the United Nations and his personal thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman for his sponsorship of the peace agreement in Jeddah are proof of the Kingdom’s achievement, because it is peace that matters to the world.


October 01, 2018
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