The Western Army's occupation of the right bank of the Kwilu River also marked the end of the Third Conquest War in East Africa. For now, East Africa had eaten its fill and drunk its fill.
With its military objectives achieved, East Africa's affairs shifted from war to national development. It was now time to digest the gains from this war while preparing for the future world situation.
At present, Prussia and France, as well as Italy and Austria, were still at war on the European continent. Having read the script, Ernst already knew the outcome of the Prussian-French war; the main uncertainty was how the situation in Italy would change.
October 3, 1870.
Hohenzollern Castle.
Under the electric lights, Ernst studied the geographical materials on Somalia that had been collected for him. With a pencil, he made alterations to the map of East Africa beside him. East Africa's territories in Somalia mainly consisted of the Northern Province and Juba Province.
As planned development areas, Ernst positioned the Northern Province and Juba Province for vigorous development of cash-crop cultivation and animal husbandry.
In truth, Somalia was not an entirely desert country. Fifteen percent of its territory was forest, with grasslands covering roughly an equal area. East Africa's two provinces in particular did not merely cover Somalia, but also encompassed most of what had been southeastern Ethiopia in his previous life.
As for food crops, those could be left to other regions. Arable land and water resources were both relatively scarce in Somalia compared to the rest of East Africa, so planting cash crops was more worthwhile.
First came the expansion of frankincense and myrrh cultivation. There was no need to worry about selling either of them. The Somalia region had historically been rich in spices and remained one of the