Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed held talks with General Michael E. Langley, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), on Friday (June 20), focusing on strengthening cooperation between Ethiopia and the United States in the areas of regional peace, security, and counterterrorism.
The commitment signifies a strategic step forward in the two nations’ long-standing defense cooperation at the highest level aimed at addressing regional security challenges and fostering stability in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has been a dependable and capable partner of the USA in the maintenance of peace and regional stability in the Horn of Africa. In view of that, the US reiterated its desire for revitalizing strong and solid partnerships on counterterrorism among capable actors, which is critical to deal with and avert threats posed by Al-Shabaab, ISIS and other terrorist groups in the Horn of Africa.
It is a well-known fact that Ethiopia has been a linchpin in the fight against terrorism in the Horn of Africa with immense experience, exhibiting practical capability in discharging critical regional roles and running independent operations against terrorism for over three decades.
During his engagements with the Prime Minister and other senior Ethiopian Military officials including Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), General Langley acknowledged Ethiopia’s critical role in counterterrorism operations and regional security. He emphasized that U.S. military engagement in Africa is based on enabling African-led solutions, strengthening capable institutions, and supporting independent African operations.
Field Marshal Berhanu, on his part, recalling the historic ties between the two countries that span over a century, underscored that the meeting paved the way for ‘‘reaching a clear understanding on a number of key regional defense and security issues, particularly regarding stability in the Red Sea and the wider Horn of Africa.” “We have agreed to enhance our collaboration in addressing regional security challenges. Our partnership with the United States is built on shared interests, and the discussion reaffirms our joint commitment to regional peace and cooperation,” he added.
The visit of General Langley to Ethiopia came amidst the current evolving regional security challenges and threats in the Horn of Africa on the one hand and potential economic partnership opportunities and wide-ranging reforms in Ethiopia that call for enhanced security and economic partnership and frequent dialogue.
The visit also came at a time when the US is taking a different approach to security cooperation, “one that links security with trade and investment.” Hence, it is an important step towards aligning policies and engagements at the highest level. In practical terms, Gen. Langley expressed AFRICOM’s readiness to deepen cooperation with the ENDF in key areas, including counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and joint training initiatives.
In a nutshell, regional peace and security have always been the key pillars of the Ethio-US bilateral partnership. The two countries are inextricably linked and bonded by historical threads, geo-strategic mutual interests, and concerns. A clear understanding of the context of the relationship, the natural geostrategic linkage, and the convergence of common concerns and interests has provided a strong foundation for charting forward-looking prospects