Addis Ababa—East African countries should strengthen multilateral cooperation and work together to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, researchers at the Institute of Foreign Affairs emphasized.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, power competition in East Africa poses a significant challenge to achieving peace and stability. East Africa is a strategically important area where Europe, the Middle East, and Africa converge, making it a hub for political, economic, and social integration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the crisis in the region has direct implications for Ethiopia’s national interests, particularly regarding geography and people-to-people ties between Ethiopia and the Middle East. The ministry expressed Ethiopia’s readiness to collaborate with partner countries and international institutions to address the region’s problems sustainably.
Dr. Mohamed Seid, a senior researcher at the Africa and Middle East Directorate of the Institute of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that the problems in the Middle East significantly impact the peace and stability of East Africa. He stressed that the power competition in East Africa challenges preventing peace and stability, and countries should work together to strengthen multilateral cooperation for regional peace and stability. “The instability in the region has a significant impact on overall security,” he said.
The researchers also noted that the disruption in trade activity of the Red Sea caused by the tension in the Middle East has affected the economy of Africa and the region. Miftah Mohammed, a researcher at the Africa and Middle East Directorate, emphasized the historical ties and geographic proximity between the Middle East and East Africa, noting their deep-rooted social cohesion.
Mohammed Seid emphasized the need for regional unity and multilateral consultation platforms. “The countries in the region must strengthen the multilateral consultation platform. They must uphold their unity,” he said, citing the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as an example of regional cooperation.
The researchers urged Ethiopia to expand its port options to mitigate the pressure caused by the disruption of the Red Sea trade route due to the Middle East issue. Miftah Mohammed stated that Africa must uphold its own path to achieve peace and that Ethiopia should not solely depend on a single port but should expand its port infrastructure.
Therefore, the researchers suggested that East African countries should use multilateral diplomacy to address the problems in the Middle East. They recommended that IGAD cooperate with other regional institutions and actively participate in diplomatic consultations to resolve the issues through dialogue, emphasizing the need to reactivate the IGAD Red Sea Task Force to protect the region’s interests.