HORN OF AFRICA

In: Strategic survey: the annual assessment of geopolitics, S. 257-265

Abstract

WAR, ANARCHY, AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY REMAINED THE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF POLITICS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA IN 1999. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN SUDAN, THE FIGHTING BETWEEN THE MUSLIM NORTH AND THE PREDOMINANTLY CHRISTIAN SOUTH CONTINUED. IN SOMALIA, ANARCHY WAS STILL CLEARLY VISIBLE THROUGHOUT 1999 AND INTO EARLY 2000. THESE PROBLEMS HAD SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS NOT ONLY FOR REGIONAL SECURITY BUT ALSO FOR THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, SOMALIA, AND SUDAN. IN ADDITION, AS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE IN THE HORN, THESE SECURITY SITUATIONS WERE CLOSELY INTER-TWINED WITH PROBLEMS RELATING TO HUMAN RIGHTS, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, AND REFUGEES.