SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HORN OF AFRICA

First, the most important geographical fact is that most of the horn of Africa is enclosed between the red sea-gulf of Aden-Indian ocean depression in the east and the Nile valley in the west, it is important to emphasize that the Nile is not simply a river but it is life to the whole population of Egypt and to half the population of Sudan, it is also important to always bear in mid that the red sea with the Suez canal and the babble al Mandab as its outlet is one of the major routes for petroleum tankers going to the Mediterranean. Furthermore, the southern outlet of the red sea is close to the Persian gulf through which considerable petroleum moves.

 

Ø  Sudan and Eretria have significant frontage on the red sea,

Ø  Djibouti had commanding position on the gulf of Aden,

Ø  Somalia and Kenya have long coastline on the Indian ocean,

Ø  Ethiopia is the only land-locked state of the horn, but it is still remains the dominant country in terms of population and resources,

Ø  To the east of the red sea are the most important petroleum producing countries of the middle east,

The location of the horn of Africa in the relation to the red sea-gulf of Aden-Indian ocean depression invites various forms of interventions from at least four directions:

1.     First, the Arabs as a whole as regional financial powers desire to exert dominant influence,

2.    Second, the west, especially the us, has three fundamental interests in the region:

a.    The stability and the security of the petroleum producing countries of the Arabian peninsula,

b.    The security of the tanker routes,

c.    The protection of the Israeli state.

3.    Third, Israel, because of its intractable problem with Arabs, had strategic interest in the red sea and the horn of Africa, as the only non-Arab littoral, as the result of Arab-Israeli conflict sometimes stretches to the horn,

4.     Fourth, inter-Arab conflicts also spills over into the horn of Africa when different Arab countries attempt to outflank each other by establishing especial ties with some country in the horn.

by: Nageye Ali Khalif