Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Tigrai Online, Ethiopian News, Nov. 21, 2016

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn speaking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz.

A high level Ethiopian delegation led by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is in an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this week.

The Ethiopian delegation is meeting with top Saudi government officials including the King of Saudi Arabia and Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister is accompanied by high level Ethiopian government officials including  

Abraham Tekeste, Ethiopian minister of finance and economic development, Defense Minister Siraj Fergessa, and Ambassador Berhane Gebre-Christos.

We hope the Ethiopian Prime Minister and his delegation raise the burning issue which is in majority Ethiopians mind, which is the Arab military buildup in Assab port. This issue is so crucial at this point for many reasons, but to mention a few: First, Ethiopia and Eritrea are under a state of war. Even though there was a peace agreement signed more than a decade ago, because the brutal Eritrean regimes belligerence towards all its neighbors especially Ethiopia the Algiers agreement is null and void and the conflict between the two countries is simmering on.

Second: As the Ethiopian prime minister indicated about a year ago, if war breaks out between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Arab army personnel and their equipment will be under attack and Ethiopia will not be responsible for any loss of life.

Second: economically, militarily, culturally, geographically and population wise Ethiopia is the largest and strongest country in the Horn of Africa. Assab port and all the other small countries land, sea, and air spaces fall under Ethiopian natural sphere of influence so any military build in these areas is great concern for Ethiopians.

In the long run the Saudis are advised to work with the dominant country in the Horn of Africa in particular and in the greater Africa in general. If the Arabs think they can push around Ethiopia because Ethiopians are quarreling among themselves, it would be a deadly and costly mistake on their part.