ETHIOPIA: BI-WEEKLY REPORT AUGUST 15 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002280 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD ECON ET SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: BI-WEEKLY REPORT AUGUST 15 2006 ¶1. The following reports compiled over the last two weeks illustrate the variety of economic, political, and social developments occurring in Ethiopia. POLITICAL -------------- TIP Officer Visits Addis ¶2. INL/G/TIP officer Rachel Yousey visited Ethiopia August 9-15 to meet with the GOE, NGOs and officials from other organizations to discuss efforts in Ethiopia to combat trafficking-in-persons. Rachel concluded that the GOE continues to perform well in some areas, such as rescuing trafficked children in Addis Ababa, while its efforts in other areas need to improve, such as activating the inter-ministerial commission on trafficking, and prosecuting traffickers more frequently. GOE Says 13 ONLF Members Killed; 45 OLF Members Apprehended ¶3. According to the GOE, 13 members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) were killed and several commanders were captured as they crossed into Ethiopia from Somalia. Similarly, a Kenyan official in the Moyale region disclosed that 45 "members and sympathizers" of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) had been apprehended in a joint Kenyan-Ethiopian operation on both sides of the border. According to this official, searches will be ongoing for the next two months to apprehend and repatriate members of this group. Over 60 Businesses Previously Closed For Violating Government Orders Reopen ¶4. Over 60 businesses that were shut down for allegedly violating government rules passed in the wake of the October 2005 riots were reopened by order of the Prime Minister. Mayor Birhanu Deresa said that businesses which shut down during the riot after the May election and had not opened despite orders from the government, were sealed by the government for past nine months. Citing apologies from business owners and the economic activities in the city, Mayor Birhanu appealed to the Prime Minister to reopen the businesses. Businesses were authorized to reopen August 11. ECONOMIC -------------- Trade Minister Urges GOE To Submit Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime ¶5. Minister of Trade and Industry, Gira Birru, urged the highest executive body of the country, the Council of Ministers, to approve the proposed Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime so that it can be forwarded on to the World Trade Organization (WTO). It has been two years since the ministry submitted the memorandum to the Council. According to a senior Ethiopian official, the Council is ready to deliberate on the issue and hopes a decision will be made within the next two weeks. SNNPR Plans Multiple FM Stations ¶6. The Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Regional State Mass Media Organization, as part of its five year plan, announced its plans to start radio broadcasts by launching six FM stations. According to regional officials, an announcement requesting communities to volunteer for pilot projects garnered one response and the Ethiopian Broadcast Authority subsequently issued a license. SNNPR officials reported that another announcement was planned with the goal of issuing four to five licenses. DEVELOPMENT -------------- Heavy Rains Continue to Cause Deaths and Displace Thousands ¶7. In the past two weeks, heavy rains have caused serious flooding in Dire Dawa and Southwest/west Shoa (Oromiya),Omo River (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region), and Takeze River (Tigray) areas of Ethiopia. According to the UN news agency, approximately 400 people have died as a result of the recent flooding. An undetermined number of ADDIS ABAB 00002280 002 OF 002 people are still missing, and thousands of people have been displaced. Although heavy rains are not uncommon during this time of year, rains in recent weeks have been above average. USAID Commits $57.6 Million to Healthcare, Basic Education and Economic Growth ¶8. USAID signed strategic Objective Agreements in the amount of $57.6 million with its main GOE counterpart, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. Funds will be used to support mutually designed programs in the fields of healthcare, basic education, and economic growth. State Minister Mekonnen Manyazewal and USAID Mission Director Glenn Anders signed the documents on behalf of the GOE and USG. Joint State/USAID/CJTF-HOA Fact Finding Mission ¶9. A team of representatives from State, USAID and DOD's CJTF-HOA traveled to the northern Somali region (near Dire Dawa) on a finding trip to harmonize local development projects. Local government officials, elders, women's groups, and NGOs told the team that availability of water, health (human and animal),education, and communications infrastructure are their top priorities. The team also called on the new mayor of Dire Dawa to express condolences over the loss of life (250) in the August 6 flash flood and to convey support for relief efforts. PEPFAR -------------- ¶10. During the week of August 7-11, a joint PEPFAR-Ethiopia and Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) Core Team worked on the 2007 PEPFAR Country Operational Plan. Key issues addressed included focusing interventions in populations at highest risk for HIV infection, strengthening the implementation of HIV/AIDS programs within the hospital-health center-community networks, mainstreaming HIV/AIDS services within the larger healthcare system, improving program quality and evaluations of programs and partners, finding innovative approaches to address human resource constraints, and creating a program that is sustainable. CONSULAR -------------- Visa Sanctions ¶11. Following discussions in Washington concerning visa sanctions, 14 of the recently submitted 16 returnee cases were confirmed as Ethiopians. Cases previously submitted to the Ethiopian government, where it determined that further information was required, will now be processed directly through the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington. WILGUS