Ethiopia's policy towards Djibouti

An effort has been made to create strong economic ties between Ethiopia and Djibouti since the time of its colonization by France the establishment of a modern port there. In our country the only railway line is the one that links Addis Ababa and Djibouti. At the time the line was established, it was with the consideration that Djibouti would be the outlet for Ethiopia (since Ethiopia was land locked). In fact, the very establishment of the port of Djibouti was based on the understanding that it would provide port services to Ethiopia. Further, there are people who have the same culture and language living in both countries. Since early on, it appears that history has dictated that the two countries be bound together.

Except for the few occasional instances of differences that have emerged between the two countries, Ethiopia and Djibouti have never entered a conflict with lasting consequences. Whilst this is the case, the relationship between the two countries, for a number of reasons, is not as strong and healthy as it could be.

From Ethiopia's side, the anchor of the relationship is that of port use. The port, from its very establishment, was meant to provide services to Ethiopia, and naturally so, due to its proximity to most regions within our country. Djibouti would benefit the most from providing port services compared to Ethiopia's other neighbours. It also is a country that does not have any negative legacy linked to Ethiopia. For all these reasons, Djibouti is well placed to be the principal port of use. Although our use of other ports is to be expected, the relationship with Djibouti is highly valued as it relates to the development of Ethiopia.

Seen from Djibouti's perspective, providing port services by itself has economic significance as the port is the main source of income for Djibouti. As Ethiopia develops, inevitably more and more goods will be going through the port, and Djibouti will increasingly benefit from the income of the port services. Besides, Ethiopia can become a major market for Djibouti and can provide electric power and other basic services to that country. It is, therefore, clear that Ethiopia can play a vital role in the context of Djibouti's economic interest and development.

Although they may not create fundamental lasting resentment between the countries, it is undeniable that there are obstacles that hinder the relationships from developing to the desired level. The gravity of issues differs from one problem to the other and no one country is free of them.

From the side of Djibouti, the main problem concerns the handling of mutual advantages, in particular the balancing of short and long term benefits. Yes, the people and their leaders recognize that Djibouti has to provide long term and reliable port services to Ethiopia. They also know that if Djibouti cannot do this, its main source of income will dry up, and in general, they are well disposed towards Ethiopia. But there are occasions when some officials focus only on the short term. Were it to provide services at reasonable rates, Djibouti would benefit increasingly as Ethiopia develops and increases its use. But we sometimes observe the tendency where Djibouti scrambles to maximize benefits within a very short period of time. Furthermore, instead of recognizing that Ethiopia needs a durable and guaranteed port use arrangement, there is a preference to look for other options. This problem sows seeds of suspicion, and reduces the chances of the port serving the long-term mutual interest of the two countries.

On the other hand, there is the problem that arises due to the fact that the people in Djibouti do not derive direct benefits from the use of the port. Undoubtedly, the revenue can be said to be benefiting the public in an indirect way; and this applies also to those employed to work at the port. However, the people would gain more from the development undertakings in Ethiopia and defend the relationship staunchly if they were to substantially benefit from trade and investment. For example, Djiboutians could get electric power supply from Ethiopia at cheap rates, but this has yet to see the light of day. There is a need to tackle the problem of drinking water, and Ethiopia, could examine what it could do, but this again, has not materialized. The citizens of Djibouti could participate in the various medium trade and investment opportunities in Ethiopia but nothing is in the works, and so on. Djiboutians have not benefited to the extent that they should. As a result, the people have not become as strong a foundation for the relationship as they should. Regarding this matter, although there are, on the side of Djibouti, shortcomings in helping the people become beneficiaries, it can generally be said that this problem mainly emanates from Ethiopia.

If in Djibouti the economic and political problems were to worsen, the use of the port may be hampered by instability. It may open the door for other forces to prevent Ethiopia's use of the port by imposing their will on Djibouti. When viewed from this angle, although it is the responsibility of the government and people of Djibouti to maintain peace and stability in their country, the issue affects our interest directly and the threats in this regard, need to be considered always.

On the side of Ethiopia, the main concern has to do with seeing to it that, on the principle of give and take, the people of Djibouti reasonably benefit from the relationship. While it is proper to object to attempts by Djibouti to reap undue benefits and to maximize short-term advantages, we do need to recognize, on our part, that not only Ethiopia, but Djibouti has to adequately benefit from the use of the port, and that we are living in a world of give and take. Also, at times we see there is a chauvinistic and condescending attitude that is exhibited. Strong relations between Djibouti and Ethiopia, beneficial to both and the region at large, can come into being only when these problems are solved and when an appropriate policy is designed and implemented.