ETHIOPIAN PM ADDRESSES PARLIAMENT ON INSTITUTIONAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 000839

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO AND AF/E

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN PM ADDRESSES PARLIAMENT ON INSTITUTIONAL
REFORMS, ADDIS CITY HANDOVER AND BORDER


1. SUMMARY: In a March 28 address to Parliament, Ethiopian
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi emphasized the government's
efforts to build and strengthen the parliament, the National
Electoral Board (NEB) and the media; extended the deadline
for opposition parties to take over the Addis Ababa city
government by three weeks; and reaffirmed Ethiopia's
willingness to continue dialogue on the border issue and its
acceptance of the Boundary Commission's findings. Meles also
highlighted the government's plans for expanding facilities
and capacity in the health care, education, and environmental
sectors to address the country's systemic problems of
HIV/AIDS, under-education and drought. Members of opposition
took to the parliament floor following the speech and
questioned much of the Prime Minister's activities with
regard to the Addis city administration and institutional
reform. END SUMMARY.

INSTITUTION BUILDING
--------------


2. Stating that he was drawing upon lessons from the May
2005 elections, Prime Minister Meles reported March 28 on the
progress of reforming parliamentary procedures and its code
of conduct, building capacity at the NEB and enhancing
Ethiopia's media laws. Meles indicated that the study
comparing Ethiopia's parliamentary procedures and codes of
conduct to that of India, Canada, Great Britain and Germany
was complete. The Prime Minister outlined his intention to
share the report with all stakeholders and use it as a basis
for negotiating reforms with all represented political
parties. The result of these negotiations would then be sent
to the parliament for consideration. Meles expressed his
desire to expedite this process with an aim toward completing
it in two months.


3. With regard to reforms at the NEB, Meles explained that
international consultants had submitted a report and a plan
of action would be formulated to successfully implement its
objectives. Meles set a June 2006 deadline for completing
the necessary NEB reforms, as constitutionally a new board
must be appointed in July.


4. Meles acknowledged that the government's progress on
media reforms has not proceeded at an adequate pace, but
resolved to finalize its work by June. The Prime Minister
thanked Ethiopia's development partners for "cooperation and
exchange of experience" in building the institutions of a
democratic system.

ADDIS ABABA CITY ADMINISTRATION
--------------


5. Meles state that the "government has worked tirelessly to
ensure that the people are governed by the people they
elected. Although the opposition have not obtained enough
signatures to take control the city administration within the
time frame allotted, Meles announced that opposition parties
would be given an additional three weeks, until April 18, to
gather the required number of signatures. If successful,
those elected representatives will assume responsibility for
the administration of Addis and also that of its sub-cities
and kebeles. If the opposition cannot gain enough
signatures, the current provisional Addis administration will
be dismissed and a care-taker administration comprised of
professionals with a clear mandate to undertake economic and
social development activities will take its place. The
care-taker administration would serve for one year at which
point a new election for city government would take place.

BORDER
--------------


6. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Ethiopia's acceptance of
the Boundary Commission decision and its readiness to
implement the decision. However, he stated Ethiopia's
"strong conviction on the need for dialogue in the
implementation of the decision, as is the case in
conventional practice in other countries," in order to ensure
a "durable peace." Meles thanked the U.S. government for its
initiative and acknowledged that the meeting in London was a
positive step, even though it did not achieve a breakthrough.
The Eritrean government, with its "habitual rigidity," is
responsible for the lack of progress on the issue.

CUD, OLF, AND OTHER ANTI-PEACE FORCES
--------------

ADDIS ABAB 00000839 002 OF 003




7. Likening Coalition of Unity and Democracy (CUD)
activities to a failed attempt at an Ethiopian version of an
"Orange Revolution," Meles proclaimed that peace and security
had prevailed in the country. He warned that the violence
advocated by the CUD would only disrupt the country's
development, tarnish the international image of the country
and create hopelessness amongst the people. Meles accused
the CUD of coordinating with other anti-peace elements such
as the Eritrean government, Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and
existing remnants of the Derg regime.

HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENT
--------------


8. Meles reported the government's efforts in the health,
education and environment sectors. The Prime Minister
announced that thousands healthcare workers have been trained
and hundreds of new clinics have been opened. Seventy
percent of children needing vaccinations were inoculated and
25 percent of women needing family planning services had
access to it. Free medical service for those with HIV/AIDS
has grown from 900 to 23,000 in the past year. Meles stated
that for the first time 41 percent of the country's kebeles
will have their own health clinics.


9. Meles cited overcrowding, poor management, lack of modern
teaching tools and trained teachers as the government's
primary challenges in improving education. The government
plans to open 13 new universities in 2006 and will recruit
experienced foreigners to assist in managing these
institutions. Meles noted that broadband internet access for
all of its universities is planned. Currently there are
99,560 regular students at state universities.


10. Reporting on severe drought in several pastoralist
regions, Meles stated the government was distributing food,
repairing water wells, drilling new wells, and transporting
water in tankers for the 2.5 million people affected. To
overcome limited implementation capacity, Meles said that the
organizational structure of Afar and Somali regions would be
redesigned to ensure greater efficiency and accountability.
Meles stated that decision-making is being decentralized down
to the woreda level to ensure wider participation of the
people in development activities.

OPPOSITION MPs RESPOND
--------------


11. Following the Prime Minister's speech, opposition party
members took the floor to respond. Beyene Petros (UEDF)
criticized the delay in completing the studies conducted by
the foreign consultants on parliamentary procedure, the NEB
and the media. Commenting on the proposal presented by the
Prime Minister regarding the handover of sub-cities and
kebeles administration to elected members of the Addis
government, Beyene said his party would not agree since it
was unconstitutional. He said the government should find a
political solution to the city handover. Beyene expressed
his concern about the ongoing unrest by citizens
(particularly students) taking place in different parts of
the country. He added that since Meles openly blamed the OLF
for the disturbances, the government should open a dialogue
with the organization. Regarding the health sector, Beyene
said that most of the health centers he visited were not
adequately equipped and do not have competent health
professionals. He added that in a country where more than
four million people are reported to be infected with
HIV/AIDS, the process for distributing anti-retrovirals was
pitiful.


12. Merera Gudina (UEDF) said that though Meles talked about
dialogue with members of the opposition, human rights
violations against opposition members worsen each day. He
said Oromo National Congress (ONC) members are arrested
without court order. He asked the government for a temporary
administrative solution in arranging media access for
opposition parties. He also noted that the government should
resolve the problem with the Addis administration through
dialogue.


13. Lidetu Ayalew (UEDP-Medhin) said he supported Meles'
proposal to extend the registration time for elected members
of the Addis administration. In the event of a new election
for the Addis government, Lidetu said that elections should
only be held for those not wishing to take their seat versus

ADDIS ABAB 00000839 003 OF 003


a complete election for all seats. Lidetu noted that the
basic problems that resulted in the election-related
confrontation, such as vote rigging, and harassment,
intimidation and detention of opposition members, had not yet
been addressed. He concluded by criticizing the NEB for its
bias and lack of professionalism and commented that the
organization is too close to the ruling party.


14. Two other members of the opposition raised concerns
after the Prime Minister's speech. Temesgin Zewdie (CUDP)
stated that the elected members of the Addis administration
could not meet freely to discuss taking over the city
government. Negasso Gidada (independent) expressed his
concerns about ongoing student unrest and warned that it
could easily get out of hand.
HUDDLESTON