Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASMARA393
2007-04-20 04:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
OSMAN SALEH MOHAMMED APPOINTED NEW MINISTER OF
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAE #0393 1100456 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 200456Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8834 INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1343 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1520 RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0633
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000393
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PINR ER
SUBJECT: OSMAN SALEH MOHAMMED APPOINTED NEW MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000393
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PINR ER
SUBJECT: OSMAN SALEH MOHAMMED APPOINTED NEW MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) The Government of Eritrea (GSE) announced April 18 the
appointment of Osman Saleh Mohammed as the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. The position of Minister of Foreign Affairs
has been vacant since the August 2005 death of former
minister Ali Said. Simultaneously the GSE announced that
Semere Russom, the Mayor of Asmara would replace Osman as the
Minister of Education.
2. (C) Comment: The fact that the GSE has waited for
twenty months to fill the vacancy at the MFA speaks volumes
about the importance of the ministry in Eritrea's foreign
policy decision making. Foreign policy here is still run by
the Office of the President and shaped by President Isaias
Afwerki with the help of a few key loyalists and the
significant engagement of the National Security Office on
operational decisions (such as the granting of agreement,
issuance of visas, and approval of diplomatic travel to name
a few). The appointment of Osman Saleh Mohammed is unlikely
to change that equation. End comment.
--------------
BIO NOTES
--------------
2. (C) Osman Saleh Mohammed became the Minister of Education
following the establishment of the State of Eritrea in 1993.
Born in 1948, he was educated at Haile Selassie University.
A fighter during the struggle for Eritrean independence, he
served as the Head of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front
(EPLF) schools in Sudan and Head of the EPLF Education
Department. He also served from 1987 ) 1993 as the
Commissioner for Eritrean Refugee Affairs before becoming the
Minister of Education. He is a high ranking member of the
People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). As the
Minister of Education he was responsible for the development
of the transfer of all 12th grade education to the Sawa
training facility. He is rumored to be the mastermind behind
the closing of the University of Asmara, after engaging in
numerous arguments with the University Deans. He is
reportedly extremely loyal to President Isaias, and has been
called a "yes" man. He is a devout Muslim, and one
acquaintance of his described him as straight-forward and
easy. Another said he was calm and the "kind of guy you can
talk to." Previously, he was married to the Minister of
Justice, Fawzia Hashim, however they were divorced in
1993/94. He remarried and has several young children with
his second wife.
3. (C) Semere Russom, born in 1943 is a former teacher. He
is reported to have a PhD in Education from the University of
Oklahoma, although some claim he never completed his studies
there. He reportedly left the U.S. in the mid-1970s to
return to Eritrea to participate in the struggle. From 1996
to 2000 he served as Eritrea's Ambassador to the United
States and upon returning to Eritrea he was the Director for
European Affairs for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In
2002 he left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and became the
Mayor of Asmara and the Governor/Administrator of the Central
Region/Maekel Zoba. He has a reputation for being impolite
and disrespectful. He was married, however, his wife
reportedly left him and she and the daughter live in the U.S.
He currently lives in Asmara with his girlfriend and two
children(parentage unknown).
DeLisi
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PINR ER
SUBJECT: OSMAN SALEH MOHAMMED APPOINTED NEW MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) The Government of Eritrea (GSE) announced April 18 the
appointment of Osman Saleh Mohammed as the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. The position of Minister of Foreign Affairs
has been vacant since the August 2005 death of former
minister Ali Said. Simultaneously the GSE announced that
Semere Russom, the Mayor of Asmara would replace Osman as the
Minister of Education.
2. (C) Comment: The fact that the GSE has waited for
twenty months to fill the vacancy at the MFA speaks volumes
about the importance of the ministry in Eritrea's foreign
policy decision making. Foreign policy here is still run by
the Office of the President and shaped by President Isaias
Afwerki with the help of a few key loyalists and the
significant engagement of the National Security Office on
operational decisions (such as the granting of agreement,
issuance of visas, and approval of diplomatic travel to name
a few). The appointment of Osman Saleh Mohammed is unlikely
to change that equation. End comment.
--------------
BIO NOTES
--------------
2. (C) Osman Saleh Mohammed became the Minister of Education
following the establishment of the State of Eritrea in 1993.
Born in 1948, he was educated at Haile Selassie University.
A fighter during the struggle for Eritrean independence, he
served as the Head of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front
(EPLF) schools in Sudan and Head of the EPLF Education
Department. He also served from 1987 ) 1993 as the
Commissioner for Eritrean Refugee Affairs before becoming the
Minister of Education. He is a high ranking member of the
People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). As the
Minister of Education he was responsible for the development
of the transfer of all 12th grade education to the Sawa
training facility. He is rumored to be the mastermind behind
the closing of the University of Asmara, after engaging in
numerous arguments with the University Deans. He is
reportedly extremely loyal to President Isaias, and has been
called a "yes" man. He is a devout Muslim, and one
acquaintance of his described him as straight-forward and
easy. Another said he was calm and the "kind of guy you can
talk to." Previously, he was married to the Minister of
Justice, Fawzia Hashim, however they were divorced in
1993/94. He remarried and has several young children with
his second wife.
3. (C) Semere Russom, born in 1943 is a former teacher. He
is reported to have a PhD in Education from the University of
Oklahoma, although some claim he never completed his studies
there. He reportedly left the U.S. in the mid-1970s to
return to Eritrea to participate in the struggle. From 1996
to 2000 he served as Eritrea's Ambassador to the United
States and upon returning to Eritrea he was the Director for
European Affairs for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In
2002 he left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and became the
Mayor of Asmara and the Governor/Administrator of the Central
Region/Maekel Zoba. He has a reputation for being impolite
and disrespectful. He was married, however, his wife
reportedly left him and she and the daughter live in the U.S.
He currently lives in Asmara with his girlfriend and two
children(parentage unknown).
DeLisi