Emergence of the Vulnerable: Resources and Geopolitics after Separation

Abstract

Separation of South Sudan triggered a significant geopolitical restructuring and alliances reformation in the Horn of Africa. Many factors contributed to this regional reformulation. A new landlocked country is being added to the region, beside Ethiopia and Uganda. While the former depends mainly on Djibouti, and to a lesser extent on Sudan, the later relies predominantly on Kenya to have access to the sea. Oil fields in South Sudan provided an economic and political opportunity to the land-locked countries and to the countries which will benefit from the changes in the opportunity structure. Rivalry between Ethiopia and Eretria and between Sudan and South Sudan accelerated the derive towards the geopolitical restructuring.