Scholars from Somalia and Eritrea stated Ethiopia’s National Dialogue is crucial for the Horn of Africa region.
Sonkor Geyre, the Chairperson of Somalia’s Institute for Federalism and Security Analysis, told ENA that Ethiopia’s National Dialogue will play a critical role in the Horn of Africa’s peace and security because Addis Ababa is the region’s most important player.
“We are all watching and waiting to see how the national discussion unfolds,” he added, adding that “we cannot have a single vision in the Horn of Africa unless Ethiopia is at peace with itself.”
Ethiopia, as the region’s leader, will draw the line with the outcome of the National Dialogue suggestions that Addis Ababa will adopt.According to him, the national dialogue in Ethiopia is in a way a common vision for the Horn of Africa.
Geyre believes that the national dialogue will guarantee a new vision not only for Ethiopia but for the Horn of Africa region.
” We in Somalia feel that we are part of the national dialogue,” he said, stressing that “no east African country can be distantly detached from Ethiopia’s political reality.”
A researcher at the Eritrean Center For Strategic Studies and analyst, Fikreyesus Amhazion said what goes on in Ethiopia impacts us all as Ethiopia is a large important historical state.
Because Ethiopia is one of the most important countries not only in the Horn of Africa but all of Africa, the way Ethiopia goes is the way perhaps this region goes too, the Eritrean researcher added.
“No issue in the Horn of Africa within any individual country is restricted in that country. All issues have a spillover effect. Anything that occurs in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia impacts their neighbor,” the analyst noted.
As a neighbor of Ethiopia, Eritrea wants nothing but peace for its neighbor because what is good for Ethiopia is ultimately good for Eritrea, Fikreyesus said.
“We just hope that the national dialogue brings about the true aspirations and wishes of the people of Ethiopia. We wish all the stakeholders and all groups being represented have their views and perspectives listened to.”
The analyst and researcher expressed his hope that the dialogue would be positive and progressive.