The Rivalry of Superpowers in the Horn of Africa during the Ogaden War (1977-1978)

This article scrutinizes the rivalry of superpowers in the Horn of Africa during the Ogaden War. It mainly examines the Soviet involvement over the Ethiopia-Somalia boundary conflicts (1977-1978). The study utilizes both primary and secondary sources. The archival sources of the study are collected from institutions such as MOFA, ENALA, and IES where aides-memoir, speeches, and exchange of correspondences are consulted. The secondary sources are also collected from various published works. After the data is gathered through various sources, it interpreted through historical methodologies. The finding of the study highlights the conventional wisdom of superpowers’ intervention in the Horn of Africa during the Cold War period; it pursues to underscore the complex interplay of the realpolitik of the Soviet foreign policy towards the Horn. It also outlines the Soviet policy perspectives in Africa and its response to the Ogaden War. The result of the study claims that the influence of the Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa generally attracts other powers in the region. Indeed, the Soviet influence in the Horn of Africa escalates the local war into an international dimension. This is therefore; the study concludes the rivalry of superpowers in the Ogaden War was to counterweight their balance of power in the Horn of Africa.