A Week in the Horn of Africa

  (20 July 2007)

• President pardons convicted opposition leaders
• Foreign Minister Seyoum receives letter from Prince Faisal
• PM Gedi addresses the NRC
• Conference:  Bakassi pacific settlement, model of inspiration for Ethio-Eritrea dispute

• In a latest development, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi today announced that President Girma WoldeGiorgis has pardoned opposition leaders sentenced to life in prison after the court convicted them of outrage against the constitution and incitement of armed rebellion.  The President has also pardoned six men and two journalists who were also given jail terms for their role in violent protests in the aftermath of the May 2005 elections.  PM Meles said, "The pardon is total.  They are being freed with their constitutional rights restored.  They have committed themselves to adhere to and respect the rule of law as well as the constitution of the country." Denying influence from Washington, the Premier said, "The Ethiopian Government isn't willing and is unable to be run like a banana republic from Capitol Hill. Some individuals appear to be entertaining such illusions."  Late last month the convicted opposition leaders sent a letter admitting their guilt and pledging to respect the law of the land.

The Letter reads as follows: "We, the undersigned leaders and members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy have come to realize as mistaken, and thus regret, the attempts we made to rid of the constitutionally established government functions through the use of unconstitutional means for disagreements that had emanated from the 2005 elections.  We shall take, individually and collectively, responsibility for the blunder .... we will take upon ourselves to stand by our national duty and responsibility to abide by and safeguard the constitution as well as to accept the constitutionally established government institutions, their powers and duties vested in them." 

• The office of the Prime Minister received the letters of apology a few weeks back, but refrained from making them public to allow the due process of law to continue unhindered as the cases of those pardon seekers were still pending.  The letters of pardon were then submitted to the Board of Amnesty.  Following close scrutiny into the requests, the Board, submitted its recommendations to the Head of State. The power of granting pardon as per conditions and procedures established by law is the prerogative of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as stipulated under Article 71 (7) of the 1995 Constitution. Accordingly, requests for pardon have been submitted to the Board of Pardon in accordance with the Procedure of Pardon Proclamation No. 395/2004. Their request was processed in accordance with the detailed procedure of granting pardon under Proclamation No. 395/2004 that includes a Board charged with examining the cases of pardon and submitting recommendations to the President.

Procedures

According to the Proclamation, the recommendations could include that the penalty be remitted conditionally or unconditionally, in whole or in part, or that the penalty be of a lesser nature or gravity, or that the penalty be confirmed when it is found unpardonable after examining applications for pardon made pursuant to relevant law. The Board has the power to request, when necessary, the appropriate public prosecutor and any other authority or an individual to appear in person or present their opinions in writing. In cases where persons granted conditional pardon by the President have allegedly failed to meet such condition or have violated it, the Board has the responsibility to examine such cases and submit recommendations of revocation to the President. The request for pardon by the convicted individuals passes through these procedures for a decision by the President.

Conclusion

Ethiopia has, therefore, demonstrated the capacity of the constitutional institutions of the country to mange such matters in an independent, impartial and transparent manner. This is a hallmark of a country firmly in the process of democratization. It is a system that works not because external actors made some demand but because the peoples of the country own the democratization process and are determined to proceed in their endeavor as it is the only avenue for development and survival of the country.

         There is also another important message that this historic event highlights, and that is when Ethiopians are allowed to address their own problems, no matter how daunting and complex, they indeed have the capacity to reach a consensus and resolve their problems. No doubt, some external parties have contributed to making the aftermath of the 2005 election tragic for Ethiopia. This, it should be indicated, has been emphasized by the elders who where responsible for this historic result, in their interview with the press.  

• Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin received a letter sent to him from Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Prince Al-Faisal, appreciating the amicable ties between the two nations expressed keen interest for cooperation in bringing about durable peace to Somalia.  Referring to talks he had in the week with Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi, the Prince said, the two sides have agreed on the necessity of participation of all Somalis in the reconciliation congress.  Saudi Arabia hopes to see security and stability prevailing in Somalia paving the way for the return of the nation to its previous role as "an active member in the Arab and African worlds".  Foreign Minister Seyoum said he was encouraged by the content of the letter and appreciated the support by the Royal Kingdom to the peace process in Somalia.  "Ethiopia shares your view that all Somali factions committed to peace should be part of the process," said the Minister in his reply to the letter of Prince Saud Al-Faisal.  Foreign Minister Seyoum assured Prince Al-Faisal of Ethiopia's readiness to work with the Royal kingdom of Saudi Arabia in close cooperation and coordination to contribute the maximum possible to peace, stability and full and comprehensive national reconciliation in Somalia.

• On Thursday, the Somali National Reconciliation Congress which was officially opened Sunday, resumed its session at which Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi addressed the congress upon his return from an  official visit to Saudi Arabia.  He said, in a gesture of friendship and solidarity, Saudi Arabia has donated over 30 million dollars in support of the on-going reconciliation congress, which he appreciated as quite encouraging.  The TFG has been urging the international community to help it finance the organization of the Congress which has now brought together over 1500 delegates, quite higher than expected, to deliberate on issues of peace, national reconciliation and power sharing, all  of which have been underlined by the President when he addressed the  Congress on July 15. Congress will be back on session after taking a break over the weekend.

• On Sunday, July 15, the long awaited Somalia National Reconciliation Congress (NRC) kicked off in Mogadishu where over a thousand Somali clan delegates and elders, representatives of Kenya, the current IGAD chair, of Uganda, Ethiopia as well as those of Yemen and the African Union were in attendance. Designed to bring together all actors in the Somali conflict to forge a way forward, the Congress which saw a successful opening was a disappointment to groups determined to scuttle the whole process but bolstered hopes for peace among the Somali people and their allies, those who rallied together and paid the ultimate price to rein in anti-peace and ruinous forces.  After the opening session, the conference was adjourned to allow more delegates to join the gathering. 

 In a key note address, the President said "...this Congress goes down in history as the first of its kind that the Somali people ever convened inside Somalia."  State failure in Somalia, said the President, manifested itself in various ways, including ever-present poverty and clan rivalry. He also said, collective indiscretion too was to blame for Somalia's decline.  The Horn of Africa country was in chaos and its economy in tatters for over fifteen years.

The convening of the NRC is a great departure and a demonstration of resolve of all sections of the Somali society to a national reconciliation that would lead to the culmination of Somalia's dark period.  Absence of peace and stability in Somalia has broader implications and that is why the Congress assumes international significance.  Ethiopia, a frontline country longing for a real partner in Somalia, along with IGAD member states, has deployed unstinted efforts for the realization of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa nation.  In his speech at the Congress, Ethiopian State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Tekeda Alemu said, "What Ethiopia seeks in Somalia is genuine friendship which allows both common prosperity, peace, security and stability."  Ethiopia is committed to fight arch foe impoverishment, the success of which could be unattainable without the prevalence of peace in the Horn and the wider region.  Dr. Tekeda emphasized the need for full national reconciliation in Somalia and for an even more broad based and more effective government, embraced by all sectors of the Somali Society.  He paid tribute to the Ugandan peacekeeping force in Somalia for its commitment "to the ideas of Pan Africanism".  Reassuring participants and the TFG of Ethiopia's robust support, the State Minister said "We have no doubt that not only do Somalis defend their rights with courage but that they also have the wisdom to forgive one another to reach out to one another to reach a consensus to save the nation no matter how bitter and long the previous rift might have been."

• The AU Peace and Security Council has decided to extend the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for an additional period of six months.  The Council urged all Somalis, including those in the Diaspora, to reject violence and to actively and constructively participate in the reconciliation process.  It described the opening of the NRC on 15 July 2007 in Mogadishu as a significant step towards an all inclusive and genuine reconciliation process.  The Council urged the Transitional Federal Institutions to launch an all-out effort to reach out to all sections of the Somali population with a view to facilitating the reconciliation process.  Strongly condemning the threat or acts of violence and terrorism perpetrated by elements seeking to undermine the political process, the Council appealed to the member states and the larger international community to urgently provide the assistance needed to enhance the capacity of the TFIs.  It also called upon the international community and all member states to immediately halt any further support for extremist elements and assist efforts towards inclusive political dialogue.  It strongly condemned the attacks against AMISOM which it said has no other objective than supporting Somalia and its people in their efforts to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation. 

In a related development, EU's Portuguese presidency Wednesday welcomed the launching of the National Reconciliation Conference (NRC) in Somalia.  "The European union reiterates its support for the conference and efforts to promote peace and stability in Somalia," the EU presidency said in a statement.

 The United States, through its embassy in Nairobi also expressed support on July20, for the convening of the NRC. In that regard, the statement said, "We urge all Somali stakeholders to participate constructively in the Congress and use this opportunity to establish  a roadmap for the remainder of the transitional process leading to elections in 2009." 

• An "International Conference on the Pacific Settlement of Border Disputes:  Lessons from the Resolution of the Bakassi Dispute (Cameroon - Nigeria Border Settlement)" has underlined the need for border disputes to be resolved through dialogue including normalization of relations with the view to addressing other related important bilateral issues.  The conference jointly hosted by the University of Yauondé II, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat and International Peace Academy was held on 18 July 2007 in New York.

The objective of the Conference was to provide opportunities for policy makers, mediators and conflict management practitioners in international organizations, governments and academia to discuss the broad issues of border regimes in Africa from the viewpoint of pacific settlement of the Bakassi border dispute.

The conference was concluded by placing emphasis on:

• resolution of disputes by parties through dialogue,
• the importance of the assistance of a neutral third party like the United Nations in border disputes resolution,
• inclusion of normalization of relations in border disputes resolution mechanism with the view to addressing other related important bilateral issues,
• unacceptability of the use of force that will only increase tension and lead to further armed conflict and
• the insufficiency of judicial decision to fully and effectively address border disputes and the need to consider other equally important issues.

According to conference participants, the Bakassi border dispute pacific settlement is a model for resolution of other border disputes in Africa and beyond.

The Minister Delegate of Justice of Cameroon, Professor Maurice Kamto, in his remarks at the end of the conference said "I would like to congratulate all participants of the conference for their informed contributions which gave substance to the work of the conference and for showing the usefulness of the pacific settlement of the Bakassi dispute as a model of inspiration for Ethio-Eritrea dispute". 

The conference was attended by the Foreign Minister of Nigeria, Minister Delegate of Justice of Cameroon, high officials from the Secretariats of the United Nations, Commonwealth and African Union as well as by eminent professors and researchers from Academia. 

• On 12 July 2007, an EU-IGAD Ministerial Troika meeting was held in Lisbon. The meeting was co-chaired by Joao Cravinho, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal and Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin, at the head of the Ethiopian delegation. 

The meeting - the first of its kind since the first EU-IGAD Ministerial Troika that took place in October 2003 in Kampala - reaffirmed the strategic importance of EU attaches to the Horn of Africa and the promotion of cooperation on peace, security and development in the region.

On the relations between the EU and the Horn of Africa, the representatives of the EU and IGAD addressed the EU strategy for a regional political partnership with a strong development component for the Horn of Africa.  The Ministers welcomed the positive outcome of the 7 July meeting in Djibouti, including the adoption of an action plan comprising four clusters:  water and energy, regional integration and infrastructure, food security as well as institutional capacity building and culture.  They agreed that the Action Plan would be jointly implemented within timelines and benchmarks to be decided.

The two sides emphasized that Somalia's problems can only be solved by political means, building on the Transitional Federal Charter, through an inclusive National Reconciliation Congress involving all sections of Somali society rejecting the use of violence.  They reaffirmed their support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, certified as world heritage the fortified historic city of Harar, now celebrating its 1000th founding anniversary.

The historic city of Harar is located in the eastern part of the country 525 kms. east of the capital Addis Ababa.  The walls surrounding this sacred city was built between the 13th and 16th centuries.  Harar Jegol is home to 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century.  The fortified wall of Harar is four meters high and cut through by five gates.  Upon receiving the UNESCO certificate, Ethiopian President Girma WoldeGiorgis called upon the Hararis to intensify the battle against poverty fully exploiting its tourist destinations for which the city of Harar is famous.  He emphasized the need for conservation of cultural and historical heritages that the nation should pass on intact to posterity.