Ethiopia and Kenya’s border has been under fire for over a decade. This is a result of the increasing tension between the two nations due to multiple factors concerning vital resources, diplomatic actions between the two, and the problematic climate in which both countries are coexisting. As of this year, there don’t seem to be any positive advancements made for the two countries to decrease their animosity towards one another.
The conflict at hand stems from the respective instabilities of each country. The Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front – an extremist, nationalist group, was a dominant political force in Ethiopia. Under them, the government was governed by autocracy, and while they increased the international prominence of the nation, many ethnic groups became marginalized. When Ethiopia went to war with Eritrea from 1998-2000, the country lost many monetary resources, paralyzing the nation both politically and economically. Since then, amidst allegations of ethnic cleansing and various other internal conflicts, Ethiopia has not been able to recover back to its once-evident prosperity fully and has been vulnerable for many years leading into the 2020s.
In Kenya, the Northern region of the country has a terrible history of marginalization and ethnic violence. The region is often a target for attacks by the Somali-based extremist group Al-Shabaab. These attacks weaken the social infrastructure of the area, and because state security’s attention is diverted from local disputes, communal and clan clashes occur. Additionally, Al-Shabaab has been active since the late 1980s, as Somalia plunged into war. The group officially materialized after Ethiopia invaded Somalia in 2006, and has been launching attacks past the nation’s borders into Djibouti, Uganda, and now Kenya. Despite international intervention, the group remains a powerful force of destruction. With both countries mentioned above being vulnerable and adjacent, conflicts on their border have arisen. Kenya and Ethiopia share an 861 km porous border with underdeveloped infrastructure, along with low education and literacy rates.
The main conflicts materialize as a result of disputes over water and pasture. Although the area is rich in resources like livestock, minerals, and wildlife, the area doesn’t have proper investments in basic public services, so it is left vulnerable to outside influences. Ethnic and clan-based conflicts along the border hurt the region progressively, as an already struggling region is made weaker by a lack of trust and a sense of community among individuals. Overall, it is evident that the ongoing conflict along the Ethiopia-Kenya border reveals the complex challenges that both countries experience due to internal instability and fights over resources. Without addressing underlying influences, the chances that the nations will get past their animosity are slim. The chance for a peaceful, amicable relationship between the nations depends on future successes in economic development and strengthening security in the region for years to come.
Written by Alexandra Kwitkowski
