HENOK MERHATSIDK 1.pdf - Addis Ababa University

Nations because, it failed to protect the sovereignty of member state (Belete, 2005:2-7;
Joseph, 1993:502). The restoration of power by Emperor Haile Sellassie, in 1941, was
accompanied by a policy of incorporation of Eritrea and Ogaden. The Emperor approached
the US, and he full filled both of his objectives. In return for this, Ethiopia granted Kagnew
Station in Asmara, for the US communication base.
The Ethiopian government opened its consulate in Nairobi; Kenya in 1945.This condition
benefited the relations of the two countries. It extended its support for the Kenyan
independence Movement (Mau Mau) and helped the families of Jomo Kenyatta when he was
detained by the British colonial rule. Ethiopia along with other African states established
OAU (Organization of African Union) in 1963.The charter of the OAU required African
states to respect the colonial boundaries. This is because; African boundaries are artificial
colonial creatures. If one state claimed a change of the statues-quo it would be difficult to
stop the claims of others. Nevertheless, the Somali state was born with revisionist approach;
it wanted to join all Somali speaking people in the region under a single political unit, called
as ‘greater Somalia’, ’the five stars’. Both Ethiopia and Kenya were confronted by irredentist
movements. Thereafter The Northern Frontier District of Kenya and the Ogaden region of
Ethiopia became instable. Northern Frontier District of Kenya saw ‘shifta war’, ’bandits’
from 1964-1968.The Ogaden region of Ethiopia went to instability for long time. Ethiopian
army fought with the Somalia force (Global Security.org; Woodward, 1996:90-95).The
relations of Ethiopia and Kenya grew following the independence of Kenya in 1963.Kenya
opened its consulate in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The leaders of the two countries paid a state
visit to each other. Among the results gained in this particular period, the 1963 boundary
agreement, the 1966 Visa abolition are important.
The deposition of the Ethiopian Emperor in 1974 did not alter the relations of the two
countries .The military government continued Ethiopia’s smooth relations with Kenya
despite its Socialist oriented ideology. Kenya assisted Ethiopia in the 1977/78 Somali
invasion of Ethiopia. The Kenyan government was allowed Ethiopian access to the port of
Mombassa when the Eritrean rebels blocked the Ethiopian ports. The Derg regime reviewed
its military pact against Somalia in 1980 and 1987 (Both, 2004).
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