Meles: Ethiopia seeking peaceful resolution in Somalia

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has reiterated that Ethiopia is seeking a peaceful resolution to the situation in Somalia. In an interview with US journalists, the Prime Minister acknowledged the presence of Ethiopian military advisers in Baidoa, at the official request of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, to assist with the training of security forces, but that he would happy to withdraw them if the TFG decides it no longer wants them. The interview followed press conferences held by the Prime Minister on 25th November and 13th December in which he sought to counter some of the inaccuracies that have appeared in the media on this issue.

“We are trying to get this issue resolved peacefully. If it is not resolved peacefully it will be very unfortunate”, he said, countering distortions that the Government has declared war on the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC).

“Parliament made it clear that it has not declared war. I have seen media reports to the contrary...We are not declaring war. But...in the event that the peaceful quest fails, we reserve the right to defend ourselves against flagrant violations of our security.”

The Prime Minister also explained that there had been contact with the UIC and meetings with their representatives, but that the differences within the UIC movement meant that they sometimes gave contradictory statements.

“Sometimes they appear to be respectful and at others they are impervious to reason and logic. It is a frustrating round of contacts. We hope that future ones will be more productive.”

Post election actions were ‘legal and necessary’

The actions taken by security forces to control the disorder that occurred in Addis Ababa after the May 2005 election were a ‘legal and necessary step’ to protect the emerging democratic system and to prevent a worse crisis developing, according the findings of the Independent Inquiry Commission.  The Commission’s findings were presented to the House of Peoples’ Representatives on 30th October, following the examination of more than 3,400 documents to comprehensively assess the scale of the disorder. The Commission reported that 193 civilians and 6 security officers lost their lives, while 763 civilians and 71 security officers were injured. Some 4,454,392 Birr of damage was caused to property, including 190 Anbesa City buses, 44 private and government vehicles as well as offices and equipment.

The Commission’s report says that it was “not difficult to fathom the potential damage” that could have occurred “had it not been for the timely action” to control the disorder.

“The force applied to control the situation should be seen vis-a-vis the extent of the violence and the possible damage it could have inflicted. The violence that followed the 15 May 2005 elections did manifest some weaknesses and mistakes on the part of the government which the Commission believes are a result of the fact that the country’s democratisation is at a nascent stage and also because it has not impacted the society to the desired level.”

Following deliberations, the House referred the report to the Legal and Administrative Affairs Standing Committee for further scrutiny by a majority vote, 276 for, 116 against and six abstentions.

New Millennium could be renaissance for Ethiopia

In his address to the first meeting of the Ethiopian Millennium Festival National Council, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi called on all Ethiopians to stand together to end poverty and make the new Ethiopian Millennium an era of peace, development, democracy and prosperity for the country. The meeting in Africa Hall on 13th December reviewed the preparations already made for the celebrations of the Millennium which will take place on 12th September 2007. The meeting also saw the unveiling of the official logo and the approval of the budget for the Council’s activities. PM Meles said despite challenges, the country has already started its journey with its rapid economic development and that the next millennium could be different if Ethiopians were committed to peace, democracy, development and national consensus.

“It should be a millennium of prosperity for Ethiopia. It should be a millennium of renaissance for Ethiopian civilisation.”

Boundary Commission proposal ‘legally invalid’

The Ethiopian Government has written to the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission to inform them that any enforced demarcation of the border by the Commission would be void of any legal force or effect. The Government replied on 20th November to the Commission’s proposal to issue a demarcation decision without completing the process required under the Algiers Agreement. The Government said the proposal would be a “dramatic departure from the demarcation the Commission was mandated to fulfil” and would be outside of its authority, because the Commission cannot redefine its mandate without the agreement of the parties. The Government called upon the Border Commission to withdraw its proposal, which has also been rejected by the Eritrean government.

Ethiopia views new partnership with China

Ethiopian exports to China are increasing significantly according to China’s Vice Minister of Commerce, who met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Following the meeting on 20th December in Addis Ababa, Vice Minister Wang Chao told journalists that Ethiopia’s total exports to China this year have increased by 107% and that the existing development cooperation between the two countries would be stepped up. The meeting comes a few weeks after Prime Minister Meles addressed the historic China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing and called for the renewal of the China-Africa partnership to meet the challenges of fighting poverty and seeking economic independence. 

“Africa provides to the growing Chinese economy a reliable field for investment, trade and the utilisation of natural resources for mutual benefit,” said the Prime Minister, on 4th November.

“China provides for Africa a source of successful development experience, technology transfer, trade and investment. I am convinced that Africa is fully ready to re-affirm and renew its strategic partnership with China. Our peoples have followed China’s achievement with interest and sympathy and are inspired by it. The commitment of China to the principle of the sovereign equality among nations and non-interference in the affairs of others, has provided Africa the opportunity to forge a partnership that is based on trust and mutual confidence.”

Following his address, the Prime Minister held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, who committed support to Ethiopia in its efforts to expand its telecommunications industry and other development areas.

ADB loan for road upgrade

The African Development Bank Group has approved the Ethiopian government’s proposal to upgrade the 227 km Jimma-Mizan road with a loan of US $98 million. The decision made on 13th December paves the way for the road upgrade project to improve transport services between Jimma and Mizan and facilitate market integration with the rest of the country and abroad. The total estimated cost is 1270.97 Ethiopian Birr, with 64% of the project financing being met by the loan, and the remaining cost being met by the Ethiopian Government.

The project will see the upgrade of the gravel surface road to the Asphalt concrete standard and will benefit the people living within the project areas, particularly traders who will be able to gain wider access to markets for their goods. The upgraded road will also form the main trunk link route for exporting coffee from Keffa.

Ethiopian extends freight services

Ethiopian Cargo has extended its network to Europe. The African carrier now offers five weekly flights from Brussels to Addis Ababa. The flights are operated with Boeing 757 freighter aircraft, with connecting flights offered to numerous destinations in Africa. Ethiopian also launched a thrice-weekly scheduled service on 16th November from Addis Ababa to Juba in southern Sudan, which is operated with Boeing 737-200 aircraft.

Ethiopia to host 4th African Fine Coffee Conference

The Ethiopian government and the Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA) are finalising preparations to host the fourth African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa between 15th and 17th February 2007. The conference, which is expected to be bigger than this year’s exhibition in Tanzania, will provide a great opportunity for networking within the coffee industry in Africa, and aims to help strengthen the position of African coffees in US, Europe and Asia markets. The deadline for conference registration is 20th January 2007.

EAFCA is an association of coffee professionals from ten eastern and southern African countries, as well members from organisations from all over the world, which aims to establish and promote partnerships and networks amongst those participating and interested in production, processing and marketing of quality coffee from the Eastern Africa coffee-growing region. For more information please visit http://www.eafca.org/index.asp

Ethiopia attracts flower exporters

Two more flower-exporting farms are in the final stages of relocating to Ethiopia because of the investment incentives offered there. SAI and Xpressions flower farms, who export 40-60 million rose stems annually, are in the advanced stages of relocating to sites on 5 and 10 hectares respectively. Ethiopia is increasingly attracting the interest of flower-exporting companies from around the region. USAID’s Agribusiness and Trade Expansion project offers development funds, training and market research, on top of land, long-term loans with low interest rates, support grants, a ten-year tax holiday, basic infrastructure and subsidised air freight charges the Ethiopian government offers to investors.

Ethiopia’s good MDG progress

Ethiopia is making good progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and has achieved remarkable results in key areas, according to the World Bank’s Africa Development Indicators 2006 report (ADI 2006). The report, which provides a detailed collection of data on African countries using material from 1965 to 2004, praises Ethiopia for its achievements in education and gives the country a high overall rating. Noting that only 27% of Ethiopian children attended school in 1991, the report states that addressing this challenge has involved “mobilising communities, training teachers, and obtaining financing for the effort. One of the results has been a rise in the gross enrolment rate to 77% in 2004 [now over 80%] thanks to annual reviews and a good monitoring system.”

Ethiopia was also placed in the top category for policies of social inclusion and equity and Economic management.

“In Ethiopia...[the government is] developing the system of intergovernmental fiscal relations. Multi-sectoral public sector operations complement community-driven activities, especially where linked to local governance development.”

Meanwhile, the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s fiscal year 2007 country analysis also records several improvements over previous years in key indicators.

British MPs hail democractic process in Ethiopia

A delegation of British Parliamentarians has hailed the democratic process in Ethiopia during a recent visit to the country. John Austin MP and Laurence Robertson MP praised the democractic changes in Ethiopia following meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on 1st November and with members of the Opposition.

The Prime Minister briefed the delegation on the work undertaken by the government and people of Ethiopia to strengthen the democratisation process, noting that it was “not an option but a matter of survival.” Despite “ups and downs along the way, the Government and people of Ethiopia are committed to enhancing the democratic order,” the Premier said.

After the meeting Mr Austin called on the international community to help find solutions to the current instability in Somalia and pledged to raise the matter in the British Parliament. Speaking to journalists after the meeting with members of the Opposition, Mr Robertson said Ethiopia has registered encouraging results in building a democratic system and that the presence of a large number of opposition party members in Parliament indicated the progress that has been made.

“There are those who want to see in this country change of the government by other than constitutional means and it is the duty and responsibility of the government to stand firmly against those who would use undemocratic and unconstitutional means to see to change things,” Robertson said. The delegation also visited Safety-Net programmes in Bahir Dar before returning to the UK.

Verdicts reached in Derg trials

The Federal High Court of Ethiopia reached verdicts in the trial of Derg officials and members who were charged with committing genocide during the notorious ‘Red Terror’ campaign. Thirty-three former officials, including former leader Colonel Mengistu Haile-mariam, and twenty-four former members were found guilty on 12th Decemeber.

The Special Prosecutor filed charges against the defendants on 211 counts, and the court heard testimonies from 720 witnesses.  Evidence against Colonel Mengistu included signed execution orders, videos of torture sessions and personal testimonies.

“Members of the Derg who are present in court today and those who are being tried in absentia have conspired to destroy a political group and kill people with impunity,” said the High Court judgement.

“They set up a hit squad to decimate, torture and destroy groups opposing the Mengistu regime.”

The court rejected the claim by the defendants that the crimes were committed when they were out of the country and found them also guilty of imprisonment, homicide and illegal confiscation of property. One defendant, Corporal Aleka Gashaw Gurmesa, was acquitted.

Mengistu was tried in absentia, having fled Ethiopia in 1991. Sentencing is expected on 28th December.

Programmes tackling Malaria

Ethiopia is distributing 20 million mosquito nets as part of Africa’s biggest scheme to tackle malaria. The $130 operation could save more than 70,000 lives a year, according to the United Nations Children Fund UNICEF. The distribution programme is on schedule and every family in Ethiopia that needs a net should have one by the end of 2007, although in the initial stages of the operation, families with pregnant mothers and young children will take priority. The nets are dipped in an insecticide which lasts for about three years, after which the net will need to be treated again.

Meanwhile US President George W. Bush has added Ethiopia to the US initiative aimed at combating malaria in Africa and cutting its mortality rate by half. The initiative is a five-year US $1.2 billion programme that challenges the private sector to join the US government in helping to tackling malaria. The initiative will significantly increase resources and help provide the most advanced and prevention and treatment methods available.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to work with existing national programmes and scale up proven interventions to reduce the malaria burden in Ethiopia,” said Janet Wilgus Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Addis Ababa.

News in Brief

● Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has met with former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who was visiting Ethiopia in her capacity as Associate Chairperson of the international Pro-Poor Commission, to look at ways in which the poverty reduction efforts in Ethiopia could be supported.

● Outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan visited Addis Ababa to attend the 5th African Development Forum, formally opened by PM Meles, where he called on developing countries, international donors and the UN to work together to help Africa.

● A high-level delegation led by Minister of State for Agriculture Consumer Affairs Kanti Lal Bhuria said India will help Ethiopia to develop its agriculture so to register further rapid economic growth. The delegation shared India’s experiences of adopting modern farming techniques which have allowed it to produce a food surplus, despite having a population of more than one billion.

● President Girma Wolde Giorgis has laid the cornerstone of the new Hope University College. Hope Enterprises is Ethiopia’s first indigenous non-governmental organisation and runs projects designed to help disadvantaged young people with the educational skills they need to find employment and become self-sufficient.

World Challenge 2006 finals

A community self-help project in Ethiopia was one of twelve finalists in the World Challenge 2006 competition. The Sidama Development Action (SDA) project is based in the small community of Yayee, where inhabitants sought to harness the local waterfall to bring 24-hour electricity to the community. With help from the local government and Ireland’s development assistance department, the villagers have been able to reap the benefits of hydroelectric power. In 1991 just 23% of Yayee’s children were attending school and community had no medical facilities; the dam laid the groundwork for several other infrastructure projects, including a school building, a health centre and water-supply system. The competition, run by BBC World, Newsweek magazine and Shell, aimed to find individuals or groups from around the world who have shown enterprise and innovation at a grass roots level. The winner, the Maximus papermaking scheme in Sri Lanka, will receive a US $20,000 grant from Shell to benefit their project.

CSA preps 2007 census

Preparations by the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) for the 2007 Ethiopian census are well underway with plans to use new technologies to help ensure the survey is the most comprehensive yet. For the first time the CSA will be using satellite imagery to locate the country’s estimated 12 million pastoralists and then send out teams to interview groups before they move on. New technology supplied by DRS, a UK company that has provided similar systems to Tanzania, will be used to scan enumeration sheets, allowing the agency to have the first results available in six months, to overcome the problems of processing the personal information of almost 75 million people. Enumeration areas have been mapped out and more than 100,000 teachers are being trained as enumerators. Questionnaires have been designed and pilot testing is now in progress. Once completed the census will be a comprehensive source of information on the Ethiopian people which will not only help with planning and administration, but also provide up-to-date information on the progress towards key Millennium Development Goals, such as infant and maternal mortality rates and girls’ education. The last Ethiopian census was conducted in 1994.

Festival celebrates culture

The culture of the peoples of Southern Ethiopia was celebrated in the Festival of a Thousand Stars from 16th to 18th December 2006, providing a unique opportunity to experience the customs of this rarely seen part of the world. The festival was sponsored by the Christensen Fund in association with Global Music Exchange, and sought to create and raise awareness of the fascinating and rich cultural diversity of Southern Ethiopia. With performers from across the region, the festival offered an equally stunning and varied soundscape with music celebrating the homeland, rituals, life and death. Close to 1000 performers brought their music and dance to a crowd of more than 15,000 spectators, with dancing in traditional costumes and singing in celebration of their ancient customs. More information about the 2006 festival and the highlights of the 2005 festival are available from www.1000starsfest.com

Addis hosts Cultural Congress

African Union Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare officially opened the first Pan African Cultural Congress which was held in Addis Ababa from 13th to 15th November, with a call for Africa to promote its culture as the basis for development. The Congress, the theme of which was ‘Culture, Integration and African Renaissance’, took place in the African Union (AU) headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital city, and aimed to consider the challenges and opportunities in African cultural development.

“Africa should realise that the foundations of development ought to be based on culture” and all governments and stakeholders should support cultural development said Konare. He then went on to launch the Cultural Charter for the Renaissance of Africa. The Congress was attended by representatives from the fields of arts and culture, designers, producers, art critics, entrepreneurs, researchers, international and non-governmental organisations, regional and international cultural organizations and AU development partners.

Sport

Two new records were set in the 2006 Toyota Great Ethiopian Run in Addis Ababa on 26th November. Deriba Merga not only completed a hat-trick for domestic road-running but also set a new course record of 28 minutes 18.61 seconds in the men’s race of the 10km race at 2400m altitude. For 22-year old Deriba, who was representing the Defense Sports Club in Addis Ababa, this was his third domestic road-running victory of the year, following similar wins in the Nazreth World Cup 10km and the Ethiopian 20km Championships.

Meanwhile the relatively unknown Omedla Sports Club runner Belaynesh Fekadu was the surprise winner of the women’s race, setting a course record by finishing in 33:02.25.

Meanwhile Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele and Meselech Melkamu were the commanding victors in the 23rd edition of the ‘Cross Internacional Valle de Llodio’ in Spain, the second leg of the current IAAF Cross Country permit season, which also took place on 26th November. Tariku won unopposed with a time of 27 minutes and 8 seconds in the 9170 metre men’s race, while Meselech completed the 7700 metre women’s race in 26:13.

The following week, Ethiopian athletics legend Haile Gebrselassie won the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan on 3rd December as fellow athletes Tariku and Meselech again achieved victory in another race in Spain.

The double Olympic 10,000 metres champion won the Marathon in 2 hours 6 minutes and 52 seconds, just 56 seconds slower than the year’s best marathon time, which he set while competing in Berlin nine weeks ago.

Tariku became the first male Ethiopian to clinch the World Junior champion title at the Cross Internacional de la Constitución in Alcobendas in Spain with a time of 32 minutes and 18 seconds, while Meselech cruised to a comfortable victory in 21 minutes and 16 seconds to retain her meet title. ■

Ethiopian News – Volume 5 Number 3  November & December 2006

Edited by James Thresher

Published by the Press Office, Ethiopian Embassy, 17 Princes Gate, London SW7 1PZ

Telephone: 020 7838 3883   Fax: 020 7838 3889

For more Ethiopian news please visit our website - www.ethioembassy.org.uk, info@ethioembassy.org.uk