2 - The evolution of a Soviet interest

Summary

Historical tradition in the context of international relations is a poorly explored subject … Even so, it is not something intangible. On the contrary, one has to accept as ‘weighty’ those feelings – often noted in history – of traditional friendship and sympathy between countries which contribute to their mutual trust, understanding and cooperation.

Ethiopia and the Soviet Union (formerly Russia) are bound by this kind of longstanding and deep-rooted friendship. Its origins go well beyond the Great October Revolution.

(A. Khrenkov, ‘Deep Roots’, Asia and Africa Today, no. 1, 1985, p. 59)

The Horn of Africa is a metaphor rather than a political entity. It has no precise boundaries but is often thought to comprise Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti, the tiny, former French colony. These territories lie between the Middle East and black Africa, forming a bridge between the two. The geo-political significance of the area should not be understated. The Horn flanks the oil states of Arabia, controls the Bab el Mandeb Straits which are a busy international shipping lane, dominates part of the Gulf of Aden through which oil tankers pass, and overlooks the passages where the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean converge (see Map 1).

A Russian interest in the Horn dates back to very early times. An awareness of Ethiopia began with the translation of certain Greek works such as Epiphanius's Periplus of the Erythrean Sea into Old Slavonic and the Caucasian languages.