Qatar plays key role for peace in the Horn of Africa

Hopes for Peace were dashed as the former allies the EPLF and TPLF – both dominated by ethnic Tigrayans from the northern border regions of Ethiopia and Eritrea - fell-out, fighting several bloody wars between themselves.  The Ethiopia-Eritrea wars were particularly pointless because they were fought over possession of a series of small, utterly-impoverished villages along the ill-defined border.

Qatar tries to help
Several Persian Gulf states became active in seeking influence and conflict resolution in the Horn of Africa: 

More than a decade ago the UAE rushed to become involved in the Horn of Africa – taking controversial steps which have now complicated its position in the region. The UAE has developed relationships with three regional entities: Djibouti, the self-declared republic of Somaliland, and the autonomous Somali region of Puntland. The UAE now has problems with these relationships.

Qatar engaged in Horn of Africa in a more constructive and multilateral way, through the United Nations peacekeeping efforts, by offering Qatari peace keeping troops for the contested Eritrea-Djibouti borders. These troops were present – and played a key role in maintaining the peace until withdrawn last year.

Qatar has also used its influence in efforts to mediate conflicts between countries and, more generally, make a contribution to peace-keeping efforts in Africa. In 2010 Qatar mediated a border disputes between Eritrea and Djibouti. In 2011, Qatar mediated the peace process in Sudan’s Darfur region. The settlement was codified in the 2011 Doha Agreement.

Qatar also took the lead in mediating the conflicts between Ethiopia and Eritrea, hosting peace talks in Asmara. These talks bore fruit in 2018, as the old TPLF government of Ethiopia was defeated in national elections, and replaced by the government of Ahmed Abiye – an ethnic Oromo. Suddenly, the Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict was not between different clans of kindred Tirgayans, nor about the personal hostilities between former guerilla allies who had fallen-out.

In Asmara, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed the historic peace accords, opening their borders to travel and commerce, and to cooperate in regional security matters.

Cementing the peace
Qatar involvement in the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace negotiations was only one element of its regional activity.

In March 2018, Qatar agreed to a $4 billion plan with the government of Sudan to develop the Red Sea port of Suakin. The Qatari plan was unveiled only a few months after Turkey, a close ally of Qatar,announced an agreement to develop a Turkish naval facility in Suakin, an ancient city on the Red Sea that once housed an Ottoman military base.  Prior to the development of Port Sudan by the British, Suakin was the leading port cirty on the African side of the Red Sea and was the embarkation port for millions of pilgrims taking the Hajj.

Qatar has also helped finance the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project.

UAE missteps in the Horn
As Qatar and Turkey have been moving into the Horn of Africa, the UAE has made several missteps that have created controversy: In February, Djibouti cancelled the Dubai-based port operator DP World’s 30-year contract to manage the Doraleh Container Terminal. The cancellation comes three years after Djibouti, in April 2015, told the UAE and Saudi Arabia to remove their troops from the Haramous military base in Djibouti.

The UAE relationship with secessionist states Puntland and Somaliland has created problems: every investment by the UAE government or UAE companies in break-away Somaliland and Puntland increases the tensions between UAE and the internationally-recognized Somali government in Mogadishu.

These growing tensions have allowed Qatar opportunities to pursue its goals in the region. It has committed $385 million in aid to the internationally-recognized government in Somalia, and reaffirmed its support for the Mogadishu against the secessionist break-away regions.

The policies of Qatar’s ally Turkey are, up to a point, in line with Qatar’s own policies. The Turkish Al-Bayrak Group has been operating the Port of Mogadishu since September 2014.  Turkey also has its largest military base outside of Turkey in the Somali capital – the only other Turkish military base outside of Turkey is in Qatar.

Qatar in Africa
Qatar’s interest in Africa has been evident on several fronts. The series of visits to Africa by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is only one demonstration of that growing interest.

Africa offers Qatar economic and political opportunities, but as one analyst notes, Qatar has demonstrated its interest in security and peace on the continent – including fighting terrorism, mediating regional crises, and helping warring factions reconcile.

One example of Qatar’s helping countries on the continent making themselves more secure: During his 6-nation tour of West Africa in December 2017, the Emir reached an agreement with Mali on security cooperation, which will see Qatar provide Mali with surveillance equipment, military aid, and financial assistance. The goal is to help Mali fight terrorists who, in 2012, broke the country in two, creating the independent Republic of Azawad in Mali’s north.

Qatar has also pursued investment opportunities on the continent. In the last 14 years, Qatar and Qatari firms have invested large sums of money in the service sector, insurance, finance telecom, mineral, tourism, health care, and agriculture.

Among Qatar’s economic development commitments, which amount to more than $800 million to development projects in Africa, we find: $13.8million for funding a cancer hospital in Burkina Faso; $40million for children education in Mali; $42million for development projects in Ghana; continuing support to the internationally recognized government of Somalia; more than $6million for several projects in Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea, and Cote d’Ivoire; and several other investment projects in Sudan, Morocco, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

Qatar has also shown an interest in addressing the pressing issue of youth unemployment in Africa. Through the Qatari-Tunisian Friendship Fund,Qatar has helped create thousands of jobs for young Tunisians.

To shore up the financial sector in several African states, Qatar National Bank has acquired banks in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, and has opened up bank branches in Mauritania, Sudan, and South Sudan.

One indication of Qatar’s growing involvement in Africa: Qatar airways now flies to 48 destinations on the continent.

Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim writes that “Africa matters, a reality that will only grow more important as the continent’s economies continue to transform. Africa is no longer a stagnant continent contaminated with wars, famine and hopelessness as the stereotype suggested. Africa is rich in its natural resources and full of opportunities. Africa matters to Qatar because it offers an immense potential for trade and investment for the Qatari private sector that not only creates capital flows back to Qatar, but also results in job creation in those African countries.”

He adds: “His Highness the Emir [December 2017] visits to the continent initiated a pivot to Qatar-Africa policy, a little further away from aid and closer towards business, investment, and mutual opportunities.”