Ethiopia proposed Eritrea-style federation to absorb Somalis in the Horn

Evidence

By this time, the vicious border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia had been dragging on for over a year without resolution. Naturally, it began to have an impact on neighbouring states and, with the volume of Ethiopian trade passing through its port, Djibouti was accused by Eritrea of supporting its enemy. The last thing the new Djibouti President wanted was for the war to spill over into his territory, an event threatened by the presence of Somali ‘Ise clansmen in Ethiopia, and of Afar in both Ethiopia and Eritrea. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 673 (#expands, via linked claim)

To the four Powers initially charged with the disposal of the Italian colonies, however, the British Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin, sensibly proposed in the spring of 1946 that the interests of the Somali people would be best served if the existing union of Somali territories were continued. A trusteeship, preferably under Britain, although this was not an essential condition, was suggested. Unfortunately for Somali aspirations but scarcely surprisingly, this solution was strenuously opposed by Ethiopia. Nor was Ethiopia to be distracted from her determination to regain the Ogaden by the promise of British support for her claims to Eritrea, or more directly, by the offer of the port of Zeila and parts of the north-west of the Protectorate in exchange for those areas of the Haud and Ogaden regularly frequented by British protected clansmen in their grazing movements. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 340 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: African bodies proposed arbitration or federation instead of backing Somali unification.; Western support for Ethiopia’s Eritrea absorption emboldened Haile Selassie against Somalia.; Bevin’s 1946 plan for Somali unification was opposed by Ethiopia — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 340 (+1 more)

Related

• Bevin’s 1946 plan for Somali unification was opposed by Ethiopia (similarity 0.88)
• African bodies proposed arbitration or federation instead of backing Somali unification. (similarity 0.86)
• Regional clan ties threatened to pull Djibouti into the Eritrea-Ethiopia war (similarity 0.85)
• Western support for Ethiopia’s Eritrea absorption emboldened Haile Selassie against Somalia. (similarity 0.84)
• British handover of western Somaliland to Ethiopia split Somali lands against their will (similarity 0.84)
• Ethiopia opposed Somali union and tried to block Somalia’s UN admission. (similarity 0.83)
• Ethiopia sought trusteeship over Somalia while publicly refusing to aid the SYL (similarity 0.82)
• Reported Somali desire for union was so strong Ethiopia was uninvolved (similarity 0.82)
• External states like Ethiopia drive most pressure to restore Somali government. (similarity 0.81)
• Further Pan-Somali unification collided with neighbouring states’ territorial interests (similarity 0.81)
• Bevin proposed a United Somalia trusteeship under Britain in 1946. (similarity 0.81)
• Postwar Anglo-Ethiopian agreements triggered a new scramble for Somali territory (similarity 0.81)
• Postwar Great-Power talks could not agree on Somalia’s future. (similarity 0.81)
• The Bevin plan for Somali unification failed among the four powers (similarity 0.81)
• The 1908 Italo-Ethiopian treaty partitioned Somali clans arbitrarily (similarity 0.81)

Broader Connections

• Western support for Ethiopia’s Eritrea absorption emboldened Haile Selassie against Somalia. #expands (0.60)
• Regional clan ties threatened to pull Djibouti into the Eritrea-Ethiopia war #expands (0.55) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 673
• Bevin’s 1946 plan for Somali unification was opposed by Ethiopia #contradicts (0.50) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 340