A Week in the Horn of Africa

Minstry of Foreign Affairs
10 August 2007

On Thursday, Foreign Minister, Seyoum Mesfin, launched the African Millennium Economic and Business Summit, organized by the Ethiopian Economic Association. The Minister noted that the summit was a very important initiative, fully in line with the spirit of the declaration by the African Heads of State and Government that the Ethiopian Millennium was an African occasion. A subsequent UN resolution had highlighted its world-wide cultural significance. Minister Seyoum said the idea of the summit reflected the true spirit of the Ethiopian Millennium, “the commitment of Ethiopia to use the occasion to highlight Ethiopia’s struggle against poverty and broaden the frontiers of democracy and good governance”, as the African Heads of State and government had emphasized. The Minister had no doubt the initiative would be emulated across the country by all other professional organizations. He emphasized that the Ethiopian Economic Association was well-placed to build a solid consensus on the development agenda. Ethiopia, he said, needed this to overcome poverty, and scale-up activities to combat backwardness; salvation for Ethiopians lies in a national consensus. The Minister underlined the fact that the Ethiopian Millennium was an African event, and it was precisely in this spirit that the Association has called for an African Millennium Economic and Business Summit, to highlight the African dimension. This, he felt, would be particularly appropriate in the deliberations on the challenges faced in trade, investment and economic development. He assured delegates of the government’s full support for their summit.

Ethiopia and Namibia have reached a mutual understanding on the need to bring their long-standing political relations to a new level by focusing on economic, cultural, technical and transport sector ties. During an official visit by Foreign Minister Seyoum to Namibia last weekend, the parties reached consensus over aviation links. They will meet in Addis Ababa in Oct.2007 to sign an agreement providing for direct flights between the two countries. There were discussions on how Ethiopian Airlines, one of the most prestigious carriers in Africa, could provide training for Namibians in aviation management, air navigation and maintenance. Minister Seyoum is the chairman of the board of Ethiopian Airlines. Draft agreements on economic affairs, and in science, culture and investment promotion, now in the pipe-line, are expected to be signed in Addis Ababa during the next AU summit, following reviews by the relevant sector offices. Ethiopia and Namibia have reached an understanding to work jointly in regional as well as international forums in which both are represented. During talks with Foreign Minister Seyoum, Namibian Foreign Minister Marco Hausiku paid tribute to Ethiopia's participation in the liberation of his country and recalled its contribution to the OAU and the UN in the struggle against Apartheid. The Ethiopian delegation led by Foreign Minister Seyoum also visited the leading Namibian meat processing plant, MEATCO, and the NAKARA tannery.
On the third and final leg of his tour to southern Africa, Foreign Minister Seyoum paid an official visit to Mozambique. Officials of the two countries discussed cooperation in the areas of agricultural research, training, technological transfer and shared experiences on prevention and ways of combating HIV/AIDS and malaria. Ethiopia and Mozambique have agreed on the need to identify practicable sectors paving the way for the formation of a joint commission to oversee development of their cooperation agreement, signed in January 2007, covering economic, scientific and cultural affairs
The Somali National Reconciliation Congress has continued to make progress in Mogadishu. On Wednesday, the organizing committee chairman, Ali Mahdi, announced that the Congress was ready to enter its second phase as delegates had completed the reconciliation of clan differences and agreed to forgive the past. This followed the signing of an agreement last week, and the designation of August 1st as a “National Day of Forgiveness”. Not everyone agreed, pointing out that some influential clan elders and leaders were not present, and that it was important to get signatures of clan leaders before declaring the process complete. Another important point of discussion has been the fate of land, buildings and houses seized during the last 16 years. The debate is continuing but Ali Mahdi has stated that all undisputed real estate should be returned to the rightful owners. The minority clans have succeeded in convincing the four major clans of the need to revise the 4.5 clan power-sharing formula, and give equality to the minority groups, raising their representation from .5 to 1. The plenary session will vote on the issue, and if passed, this will allow the minority clans the same number of delegates as the major clans for the remainder of the transitional process. Last weekend, the Congress also opened discussions on the highly sensitive issue of religious fundamentalism. This caused considerable concern and the Congress selected a committee of religious elders to decide whether to keep the item on the agenda. Other items on the Agenda this week included the question of institutional power-sharing between the executive and legislative branches, and the use and sharing of natural resources. The Congress plenary sessions establish general guidelines to be refined by the appropriate technical committees. The government has said that it will accept all the Congress resolutions, one of which is expected to be the inclusion of ministers who are not members of parliament. Overall, turnout at the Congress has been impressive, and significant numbers of additional delegates have arrived since its opening. In the face of continuing threats by Eritrean based opposition forces to disrupt the Congress, security has remained tight.

On Tuesday, the UN Special Representative, Francois Fall, visited Mogadishu. He was accompanied by delegates from the International Contact Group. Mr. Fall had talks with President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi before attending the Congress. He told delegates that holding the Congress was a huge achievement, and emphasized that the UN wanted to see Somalis agree on their own future. He said that he hoped the door was open for exiled opposition leaders to participate, and that stakeholders should denounce violence and support peace and stability.
The arrival of 2,000 Burundi troops, due to join the Ugandan units of AMISOM in Mogadishu at the end of July, has again been delayed. Equipment promised by the US and France had not arrived. France agreed on July 14 to convey the troops and equipment to Somalia. A Burundi military spokesman said the troops themselves were fully ready for the mission. The difficulties and delays in raising the planned 8,000 troops for the AMISOM force for Mogadishu can be compared with the agreement reached this week for a 26,000 strong hybrid-AU/UN peace-keeping force for Darfur. This will include 19,600 military personnel, and 6,400 police, as well as 4,000 to 5,000 civilians. There have already been offers of troops from a number of countries.
The Somali Regional State has announced its deep regret for the death of three employees of the Ogden Relief and Development Association, a local NGO engaged in humanitarian activities. The Association Board chairman and two staff members were killed on 29 July between the towns of Degahabour and Degahamedo when their vehicle hit a landmine. In a statement the State government condemned this act of terrorism by the so-called Ogden National Liberation Front (ONLF), and reiterated its determination to rout out the ONLF, which it said was bent on destabilizing the region and impeding on-going development endeavors. On Sunday, attacks by the same group targeted a church and a marketplace in which a civilian was killed and eight others were wounded. "The two incidents clearly indicate that the ONLF are continuing their slaughter of civilians," said Bereket Simon, Public Relations advisor to Prime Minister Meles. "Our defense forces will take appropriate measures targeting the terrorist group."

Ethiopia's dirty war” was the title of an article in the Guardian last weekend. It was another in a recent series of articles, including those in the New York Times, making no attempt to provide balanced coverage of events in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia, or indeed factual journalism. The article, by Tom Porteous, the London Director of Human Rights Watch, claims that an Ethiopian counter-insurgency operation in the Ogaden is aimed at “eliminating the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a rebel group which has been fighting for years for self-determination for the Ogaden's predominantely Somali population”. Mr. Porteous appears unaware that the Somali Regional State (one of Ethiopia's nine states) has its own autonomous government, many of whose members used to be in the opposition. He gives no indication that the operations against the ONLF are taking place because of a series of terrorist acts launched by the ONLF, starting with the cold-blooded terrorist massacre of 74 Ethiopian and Chinese workers in April, and followed by grenade attacks on civilians in Jijiga and Degahabur. It is not government security operations which threaten a humanitarian crisis. It is the activities of the ONLF whose members admit to burning houses and villages, assassinating opponents, and seizing livestock from clans which support the Somali Regional government, as well as attacking security forces. There is no trade or aid blockade, as international agencies have confirmed. ONLF activities, however, have certainly led to the need for convoying vehicles in some areas, and trade inevitably has dropped following ONLF attacks, the planting of land mines on roads, and resulting military activities. There has been no disruption of humanitarian assistance, though the International Red Cross has been expelled from the region. Mr. Porteous suggests this was done to get rid of one of the few neutral observers in the region. He makes no mention of the reason; indeed, it seems clear he hasn't bothered to read last week's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement.

Mr. Porteous claims Ethiopia's involvement in Somalia, backed by the US, has caused militant al-Shabaab elements to take refuge in the Ogaden, and therefore is exacerbating conflict in the region, and indeed regionalizing it. This really isn't good enough. Mr. Porteous knows very well that it is Eritrea which has been training and arming ONLF fighters, and sending them through Somalia into the Somali Regional State last year. He is also fully aware that Ethiopia's intervention was in support of the legitimate government of Somalia, and, far from being a US-supported operation, it was backed by IGAD, the AU and the UN.
Mr. Porteous has clearly not bothered to look further than ONLF claims, and has made no effort to understand the situation in either the Somali Regional State, or in Somalia itself. He's not been to the Somali Regional State or talked to those who have. His article, like others in the Guardian, runs very much along the lines of recent articles by Mr. Gettleman in the New York Times. Mr. Gettleman responded to his expulsion from Ethiopia earlier this year with several pieces based almost entirely on claims made by the ONLF. Indeed, they might have been written by the ONLF. Mr. Porteous has clearly read Mr. Gettleman's work. It is a pity he has followed him so slavishly.

The UN Food and Agricultural Organization has selected Ethiopia to host its sub-regional office as part of the decentralization scheme linked to FAO's on-going organizational reform. Addis Ababa, the political hub of Africa and the seat of AU, is an ideal base, and the government has pledged to provide expertise to the Office in anticipation of shared ambitions, potential and challenges. Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the management team of the FAO Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Ethiopian State Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr.Abera Deresa, said the multidisciplinary team of professionals deployed to the Office would have great responsibility in delivering the required assistance in their respective fields of expertise to countries of the sub-region. Sub-regional office Coordinator, and FAO representative in Ethiopia and for the AU and the UN-ECA, Mafa Chipeta, said the new office is expected to reflect the ambitions that have driven the changes. The FAO's objectives include achieving food security for all, through the rise in nutrition levels, betterment of rural livelihoods and the improvement of agricultural productivity. Ethiopia's Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP), a five year (2005/06-2009/10) strategic framework, fits exactly into this as it comprises bold new directions including a major focus on growth emphasizing commercialization of agriculture, private sector development, and the scaling up of resources to achieve Millennium Development Goals.

Lucy, who is at least 3.2 million years old, has safely arrived in the United States for a tour of American museums including stops in New York, Denver and Chicago. Lucy, who was found in north-eastern Ethiopia in 1974, will be displayed in ten major US museums with the Houston Museum of Natural Science being her first destination. According to Culture and Tourism Minister, Mohammed Dirir, a host of programs promoting Ethiopian culture, civilization, heritages and history will be organized in connection with these visits. Proceeds from the Lucy tour, which will feature scores of other Ethiopian artifacts, will go to renovation and construction of museums. Dirk Van Tuerenhout, Curator of Anthropology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where Lucy will remain on display from August 31 to April 20 next year, said he shared concerns over the risk of damage to Lucy’s bones, but he added: "We will put Lucy on display with utmost care, just as we have put other fragile artifacts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls on show.” “The need for the security of artifacts on display should not preclude them from traveling,” he said. Lucy is classified as an Australopithecus Afarensis, who lived in Africa between about 4 million and 3 million years ago. They are the earliest known hominids, and palaeontologists regard Ethiopia as the cradle of humanity. The famous relic was named after the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which was playing at the time of the find.