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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 23. September 12 1977

The African Horn in global strategy

The African Horn in global strategy

Relation between Somalia and the Soviet Union have cooled. Why has the Soviet Union taken this path?

The answer lies in the strategic position of the Red Sea-Horn of Africa region and its relationship to Soviet global strategy. The Soviet Union and the United States are engaged in a struggle for world domination. The Soviet Union is on the offensive and the United States in on the defensive. The focus of superpower rivalry being in Europe, the Soviet Union is trying to outflank Europe in Africa and the Middle East.

The Red Sea-Horn of Africa region is the sea link which enables fleets in the Mediterranean and the Pacific Ocean to co-ordinate with each other. Whichever super power brings this region under its control can either threaten or even cut the maritime transportation route of its opponents, or pose a threat to the Red Sea littoral countries. The Red Sea and its adjacent regions are rich in strategic raw materials, such as copper, oil, zinc, silver and gold.

But the people of the Red Sea have recognised what the Soviet Union is up to. Some years ago the Soviet Union proposed Yemeni-Soviet joint salt and joint fishery companies. They were rejected by the government of the grounds that they encroached on Yeman's sovereignty. A Yemeni official declared: "The Soviet Union does not want salt, but the Red Sea ". On independence day an official of Djibouti pointed out:

"Many events in Africa were the result of behind the-scenes provocations of the superpowers who sowed dissension and created disputes. We know a certain superpower particularly well, and we do not want them to come here".

Postscript: The Christchurch Press of 7th September 1977, carried a story taken from an interview with Colonel Farah of the ruling Revolutionary Socialist Party of Somalia which appeared in a Tehran paper.

Col. Farah charged that 5 countries were involved in helping Ethiopia in the present war. These were Cuba, East Germany, Southern Yemen, Czechoslovakia, and Libya. Troops had been supplied by Cuba, Southern Yemen, and Czechoslovakia. Russian arms and expertise were also being used.

He went on to say that if the Soviet Union continued their present arms ban on Somalia, then Somalia would have no more need for Soviet experts presently in that country.

On Cuba's role he said, "Cuba wants to play the policeman's role in the world and in Africa."

Welcome: Podgorny hugs Tanzania's Nyerrre

Welcome: Podgorny hugs Tanzania's Nyerrre