United States to send envoy to Horn of Africa
WASHINGTON – The United States is in the process of deploying an envoy to the Horn of Africa, a region that has struggled with instability in recent years after a series of political differences and economic challenges that have threatened to plunge many countries into chaos.
For example, Ethiopia faces a life challenge in the Tigray region, where the United States has been particularly categorical about the federal government withdrawing troops and them from Eritrea for stability. Washington believes the troops’ committee genocide in November during a crash against the TPLF.
In Somalia, the country faces a myriad of challenges, including violent extremism, poverty, hunger and floods, where political intolerance is also breaking out. The United States had withdrawn its troops from the country in January and relocated them to Kenya and Djibouti.
To resolve the stalemate, the United States believes an envoy to the region will help solve most of the new problems, adding that Washington would have placed a new ambassador to the Horn of Africa in the next few months.
“We need an older person who will be fully focused on the challenges we see … in a sustained way,” he said, adding that a message will be sent soon, even if he did not give an exact date or month.
Also disturbing over the Horn of Africa is the Grand Renaissance Dam, which has triggered war shocks that are plaguing Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. In fact, a crisis is looming after accusations and counter-accusations between Addis Ababa and Khartoum over rebels in the Blue Nile.
Sudan News Agency reports that Ethiopia is funding a militia group along the Blue Nile, which is reportedly causing chaos and antagonism in Sudan, adding that Addis Ababa is supplying weapons, ammunition and combat equipment.
The leader of the militia, Joseph Touka, of the Sudan News Agency, says he has sophisticated links with the Ethiopian administration and has used the links to work together to ensure the sustainability of his troops.
“The Ethiopian government provided logistical support to Joseph Touka’s forces in the Blue Nile, including weapons, ammunition and combat equipment. The support arrived in Yabou on February 27, 2021, and the support was received by Commander Joseph Touka and some of his forces’ commanders,” said the agency.
Khartoum now says Addis Ababa is keen to use Joseph Touka’s troops to seize the town of Kurmuk, located on the banks of the Blue Nile, a move aimed at distracting operations on the eastern front of the country.
“It should be noted that the Ethiopian government aims to use Commander Joseph Touka to occupy the city of Kurmuk with the support of Ethiopian artillery with the aim of spreading the Sudanese army’s efforts on the Eastern Front,” it said.
But Addis Ababa is yet to respond to the damaging report, which could further track unity within the Horn of Africa. Sudan has hosted Ethiopian refugees fleeing the Tigray region following a military operation that has created international outrage.
Addis Ababa’s administration is accused of collaborating with Asmara to deploy Eritrean troops in the Tigray region, which is now accused of overseeing mass killings during the operation. Internally, Ethiopia is also confronted with the worst ethnic cleansing in so many years.
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