China as Peacemaker in the Horn!

Very strategic place as it is the Horn of Africa region is also the most conflict prone part of the world. Various conflicts have taken place so far in the region. While some have shown improvement some have continued to trouble the region. As a result the issue of solving the recurrent conflict in the region goes beyond the countries of the region. Other countries that have a stake in the region play a significant role in alleviating the problem of the region.

Mediation is one of the solutions for conflict and dispute in the region. In the tradition of the local people of the region, mediation is highly practiced to solve conflicts among societies and people.

In the use of mediation as part of traditional Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism, elders play a significant role. They are also effective in solving the conflicts. They are highly respected and trusted by the conflicting parties that they can somehow broker a meaningful and lasting solution.

The elders also do the mediation without bias and they also consider making mediation effective by bargaining for a win-win solution. The role of an elder in the traditional alternative dispute resolution symbolizes the possible role of China in brokering peace in the region.

The coming of China to take up the role of mediation in the region is a welcome idea in bringing about a lasting solution for lack of peace and security in the region.

Due to its massive investment in various sectors of the economy, China has an influential role in the Horn of Africa region. Furthermore, the foreign affairs policy it pursues with the world in general and Africa in particular is worthwhile in conducting successful mediation to solve the conflicts durably.

China has demonstrated its commitment to pursue its diplomatic and economic relations with African countries without meddling in the sovereign internal affairs of the respective countries. This can serve as an assurance to the conflicting parties to sit with utmost confidence round a table and discuss honestly to reach a meaningful solution.

China’s offer to engage in mediating conflicts in the Horn of Africa can be taken as a big opportunity. But the countries should not take it as a panacea that can solve their decades of headache automatically and overnight. They don’t have to throw all the responsibility on China and wait for the desired outcomes.

They have to do all the necessary collaboration and display the necessary commitment to reach a peaceful solution to the efforts of mediation. They must be involved in the conflict and dispute resolution activities with genuine interest to pass through all the ups and downs, and finally agree on a mutually acceptable and lasting resolution.

Conflicting parties are most likely to reach a peaceful conclusion after passing through genuine mediation, regardless of the length and complexity of the process, if they really participate in the process with genuine interest to reach a peaceful and lasting solution.

This is a very burning topic for the eminent situation that Ethiopia is in at the moment. The federal government has been dealing with knotty security crisis as it has to clinch the conflict stirred by war mongering groups, the terrorist TPLF and Shene.

What makes the situation worse is the two groups are so allergic to peace and persuasion that a series of discussions have failed since the outbreak of conflict. Despite the government’s attempts to seek a peaceful solution and peace talks, the groups, especially TPLF, always come up with preconditions after preconditions that are mainly to reverse the progress of the negotiations. Such a tendency emanates from the group’s nature of surviving only in conflicts and war.

Therefore, the government of Ethiopia and the remaining East Africa countries have to give due attention to put in place genuine interest for lasting peace to reciprocate China’s offer to help seek peace and stability in the region.

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 30 JUNE 2022