5 - The Ethiopian revolution and the quest for a Pax Sovietica

Summary

Now that revolutionary transformations and progressive socioeconomic changes are taking place in Ethiopia our peoples will have greater opportunity to impart a new and richer meaning to Soviet–Ethiopian co-operation in the political, economic, cultural and other spheres.

(Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrey Gromyko, in Yu Ivanov, ‘Strengthening Friendship’ New Times, no. 30, July 1976)

In spite of the historical contradictions between Somalia and Ethiopia, there are progressive forces in both able to sort out their political and economic problems. Here we are optimists: we think it is possible to have a Marxist-Leninist confederation in the Horn of Africa.

(Anatoly Gromyko, Director of the Africa Institute, Moscow, and son of the former Soviet Foreign Minister, The Manchester Guardian, 10 July 1977)

The years from 1974 to early 1977 witnessed a gradual but definite shift in Soviet policy in the Horn of Africa. Having formalised its close ties with Somalia through a Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation, Moscow proceeded to expand the range of its policy in the region. In 1976, in what was a significant departure, Moscow began to pursue a policy which sought to combine good relations with both Somalia and its traditional adversary, Ethiopia. To this end, the USSR proposed that the ‘brother enemies’ sink their differences in a Marxist-Leninist confederation. Clearly, the USSR hoped to establish itself as the dominant external power in the Horn and thus realise what had been a latent, yet historic Russian ambition.

The event that served as the main catalyst in the transformation of Soviet policy was the Ethiopian revolution of 1974.