Unlocking the potentials of community ecotourism: a promising agent of post war reintegration and sustainable development for Ethiopia and Eritrea
Creators: name: Woldu, Moges Gebreegziabher
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Science Policy
subject: Mental Health

description: The article was presented in a launching seminar of ‘Centre for Peace and Reconciliation in Mekelle University, focused on ‘Restoring Ethio-Eritrean Relations from Bottom-up: People-to-People Reconciliation and its Contribution to Social Cohesion, Economic and Infrastructure Development’. The paper attempts to explore potentials and roles of community ecotourism in improving the livelihood of border communities and influences post-war re-integration of the society in both countries. The design of the research was qualitative approach. Data sources for this research were aligned to primary and secondary aspects. The primary sources were gathered through interviews with individuals, office holders and experts in the industry and visitors from both countries, and documents. Observations were experienced in the tourist destination sites in Tigrai, Ethiopia. Secondary sources were assessed to address the literature-based discussions. Therefore, findings revealed, the availability of high potentials for community ecotourism engagements in both countries. There are encouraging transport accesses, religious pilgrimages. The availability of variety foods, suitability of ecotourism eco-lodges, seashore in Eritrea; and the UNESCO registered sites and carnivals. There are excellent practices for sustainable ecotourism development linked to the environmental protection and land management. During the observations, Ethio-Eritreans appeared harmoniously enjoying the religious and non-religious carnivals. Therefore, sustainable ecotourism contributes to reconciliation, healing and peace building. The author recommends the participation of all stakeholders in the sustainable development of the community-based ecotourism. In this regard, the sector needs comprehensive socio-economic baseline survey to support the development initiatives. The study attempts to unveil potentials of community ecotourism for sustainable development, peace-making, reconciliation, and peace building in war affected societies in Ethiopia and Eritrea. These two nations were same country until 1991. The fieldwork for data collection was conducted July 2018 to February 2019; during the partial and temporary opening of the borders. The paper was presented in the launching conference, ‘Restoring Ethio-Eritrean Relations from Bottom-Up: People-to-People Reconciliation and its Contribution to Social Cohesion, Economic, and Infrastructure Development’ in April 2019. The context of the paper concentrates on two major aspects related to plan for sustainable development in the post-war Ethio-Eritrean societies: grassroots initiatives for utmost sustainable socio-economic development of untapped potentials, and reconstruction of peace, reconciliation, and reintegration among war affected society, 1998–2000, and the no-war-peace until September 2018. The findings call for cooperated action among stakeholders; and improve livelihood of community and peace building.