U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa

Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org


HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-up 85
13 - 19 April 2002


CONTENTS:

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Boundary Commission issues border ruling, reactions
positive
ERITREA: "Flying bags" banned
ERITREA: Government to boost tourism after war with Ethiopia
ETHIOPIA: Huge debt cancellation possible
ETHIOPIA: Mobile units help in HIV/AIDS prevention
DJIBOUTI-ETHIOPIA: Accord signed to use Djibouti port
SOMALIA: Concern over escalating violence in Gedo
SOMALIA: Puntland leader ready to join united state
SOMALIA: Djibouti declines fact-finding mission
SOMALIA: TNG raises concerns with technical committee
SUDAN: NGOs urge move towards "just and sustainable" peace
SUDAN: American-led slavery mission due to report in May

ALSO SEE:

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Interview with boundary expert Martin Pratt on border
ruling at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27313

SOMALIA: Focus on challenges of eradicating polio at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27292

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Boundary Commission issues border ruling, reactions
positive

Both sides were claiming victory, following Saturday's announcement of the
ruling by an independent Boundary Commission in The Hague. The
announcement was immediately hailed a victory by Ethiopia. Ethiopian
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin accused Eritrea of "forcing the war" on the
country. "This decision has rejected any attempt by Eritrea to get reward
for its aggression," he said. "This decision was fair and legal." But
Eritrea hit back, accusing Ethiopia of propaganda and branding its claims
of victory as a "lie". In a statement, the Eritrean government said: "It
is a victory for the people of Ethiopia, but it is the Eritrean people who
have emerged most victorious." [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27262; also see:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27261]

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Monday said the ruling would
enable his country to build peace and democracy, and these would never be
exchanged for "territorial expansion". In an interview with Ethiopian
television and radio, he said the decision had "unequivocally emphasised"
that any border conflict should only be resolved by law. "The ruling has
supported and complied with the stance that we were pursuing from the
outset," he said. "In my opinion this is our major victory." Meles also
lashed out at Eritrea, accusing its leadership of "military adventurism",
the pro-government Walta Information Centre reported. "It would be
unrealistic to expect that the [Eritrean] regime would refrain from acts
of provocation aimed at derailing the peace process," he was quoted as
saying.

There is confusion over who has been awarded Badme, the area where the
border dispute flared up into full-scale war in 1998. Analysts told IRIN
both governments were putting forward diametrically opposed views of the
ruling to convince their citizens that the sacrifices and loss of life had
not been in vain. [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27290]

Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki, also on Monday, said his country
"gladly accepts" the border ruling, noting that the decision "confirmed"
Eritrea's national borders. Eritrean radio said he told local journalists
on Monday evening that the verdict would now usher in peace. He
congratulated the Eritrean people, both inside and outside the country,
saying they had "harvested the fruits of their efforts in safeguarding the
sovereignty of their nation".

The ruling had opened a new chapter for the Eritrean people, he added. He
called for accelerating development activities, saying he was convinced
Eritreans "will succeed in the new chapter". [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27287]

A US State Department press release, issued on Tuesday, said the border
ruling was a "major achievement" for the peace process. "By accepting the
decision, Eritrean President Isayas and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles
have taken another courageous step to forge a comprehensive and lasting
peace between the two countries," it said. "The United States remains
committed to facilitate the peace process to its conclusion. To this end,
we have donated funds to a United Nations Trust Fund established to help
defray the cost of the delimitation and demarcation of the border, and we
intend to make an additional contribution shortly." [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27293]

The UN Security Council on Tuesday urged Eritrea and Ethiopia to cooperate
closely with the United Nations and the Boundary Commission in
implementing the latter's ruling on their common border. In a press
statement, Council President Ambassador Sergey Lavrov of Russia reiterated
that the Council welcomed the decision and "commended the commitment of
both countries to accept the outcome as 'final and binding'". Security
Council members called on both governments to make further steps to
"strengthen the climate of reconciliation" and to address outstanding
issues, including the release of prisoners of war and the resumption of
direct flights. The members also called on the parties to provide freedom
of movement to the UN peacekeeping mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
(UNMEE).

In Brussels, the EU welcomed the border ruling and pledged full support
for UNMEE in implementing the decision. In a statement, the EU urged both
Eritrea and Ethiopia to safeguard peace on the ground "by fully respecting
the Temporary Security Zone and maintaining continued separation of
forces". It also called on the two sides to ensure there were no
unilateral population or troop movements. [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27310]

ERITREA: "Flying bags" banned

Lightweight plastic carrier bags have been banned across Eritrea as part
of a major new campaign to clean up the countryside. The blue bags, used
by shoppers all over the country until last week, are neither
biodegradable, nor strong enough to be used more than once. Consequently
millions were thrown away each year, causing extensive environmental
damage. They blocked drains and water pipes, littered towns and
agricultural areas, and were being eaten by animals, causing hundreds to
die. Semere Russom, the mayor of Maakal Region - which includes the
capital, Asmara - banned the bags from the city last week. "Anyone who has
travelled around Eritrea has seen the effect they have," he told IRIN.
"They were everywhere. They have polluted the environment and were killing
cows, goats and sheep."

Shoppers are now being encouraged to use other bags - such as the locally
made, traditional straw baskets. Eritrean companies have been asked to
produce alternative shopping bags, made from other fibres, such as cotton.
Heavyweight plastic bags, which can be reused, are still permitted. Public
reaction to the ban has mostly been positive. Many shops now wrap
foodstuffs in paper, or ask customers to supply their own shopping bags.
"It is a little more work for us," said one Asmara shopkeeper. "But the
bags were dangerous and ugly."

Tecle Mariam, a senior environmental management expert at the ministry of
land, water and the environment, said the ministry had been campaigning
against the "flying bags", as they are known, for two years. "We have been
trying to tell people about the damage they cause through the radio,
television and in newspapers," he said. [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27269]

ERITREA: Government to boost tourism after war with Ethiopia

Eritrea's Tourism Ministry is planning a promotional drive to entice
foreign visitors back to the country after its war with Ethiopia.
State-owned hotels are to be renovated and university graduates trained to
work as tour guides. The ministry of tourism is about to start its own
website and launch a new magazine, which will be distributed to embassies
and tour operators around the world.

"We are very excited about the peace," Tsighereda Elfu, head of promotions
at the tourism ministry told IRIN. "We have so much to offer here,
beautiful beaches, wonderful scenery, archaeological sites and unusual
architecture. Hospitality is a gift that we have, we want to use it."
[Full report at: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27361]

ETHIOPIA: Huge debt cancellation possible

As much as US $2 billion of Ethiopian debt could be wiped out after the
completion of the much-heralded Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP),
Ethiopian officials said. According to the state minister of finance and
economic development, Mekonen Manyazewal, the cancellation of debt would
free up vital resources that could be used to fight poverty in Ethiopia.
He told IRIN that millions of dollars each year could be ploughed back
into health, education and rural development programmes.

Ethiopia is one of some 40 countries to benefit from the Heavily Indebted
Poor Countries (HPIC) initiative that aims to reduce the debt burden. The
country, one of the poorest in the world, currently owes around US $5
billion, and repayments place a stranglehold on efforts to improve
development. Mekonen said the resources made available by debt relief
would be allocated to key anti-poverty programmes. "The fact that the
yearly debt payments can be ploughed back into these are good and enhances
our capacity to accelerate the implementation of our development
programmes," he added.

The debt cancellation will only be agreed after the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund (IMF) approve the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Paper (PRSP) - a blueprint for tackling poverty in third world countries.
Sixty of the poorest countries around the world have signed up to the
document, which is expected to be handed to both organisations in June.

Mekonen said the PRSP was not new for Ethiopia because it had been arguing
for many years that the primary goal of its development was poverty
reduction. He said poverty in Ethiopia was basically a rural phenomenon.
More than 85 percent of the 65 million population live in rural areas.
[Full report at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27339]

ETHIOPIA: Mobile units help in HIV/AIDS prevention

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has launched a
programme to bring HIV/AIDS prevention, counselling and testing to migrant
populations in Ethiopia. These mobile units provide information on
HIV/AIDS, distribute male and female condoms, offer voluntary counselling
and testing, and provide treatment for sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) to those most at risk, the IOM said. These include truck drivers,
commercial sex workers, itinerant labourers, refugees and internally
displaced people. The units operate in the evenings to adapt to the truck
drivers' working hours. So far, more than 2,000 flyers and leaflets have
been distributed to drivers in trucking companies, petrol stations and
stopover areas, the IOM added.

The programme, which has been launched in conjunction with an Ethiopian
NGO, the Organisation for Social Services for AIDS, provides free services
on an anonymous and totally confidential basis. The IOM says it hopes this
will further improve the acceptability and "social affordability" of
HIV/AIDS prevention services in Ethiopia. By the end of March, a pilot
project based in Nazret and Dese had treated 513 people for STIs, 625 had
received voluntary counselling and testing, and 973 had been given
confidential counselling services in the mobile units.

"There is an overwhelming demand for services provided by the mobile
units," said Meera Sethi, the IOM's chief of mission in Addis Ababa. "Not
just by the mobile population, but by the population at large, including
students, factory workers and housewives." The pilot project has been
funded with US $65,000 from UNAIDS and US $40,000 from the World Health
Organisation, the IOM added.

DJIBOUTI-ETHIOPIA: Accord signed to use Djibouti port

Ethiopia has signed a major agreement to use the Red Sea port at Djibouti,
Ethiopian Trade Minister Girma Biru announced on Monday. He told a press
conference in the capital, Addis Ababa, that the deal was vital for
Ethiopia as Djibouti was the country's "natural port". Both countries
would benefit from increased bilateral trade, he added. Millions of
dollars of goods are shipped each year through the port to Ethiopia. More
than 28,000 barrels of oil a day are required just to meet Ethiopia's fuel
needs. Girma said Ethiopia had access to nine ports but Djibouti was the
best. "If we look at the distance of the all the ports Ethiopia could use,
then Djibouti is the first - no doubt," he said.

Formerly, Ethiopia used the Red Sea port of Assab in Eritrea. But in 1998
both countries fought a bitter war and the seaport is now closed to
Ethiopia. Ethiopia turned to Djibouti after May 1998, but were unable to
agree on terms for the use of the port. The deal is the first time both
countries have signed a formal agreement. Djibouti is now the closest port
to the Ethiopian capital - some 780 km away. Port Sudan is almost double
that distance.

But importers complain that Djibouti levels extremely high tariffs on
goods coming through the port. Girma conceded that distance was not the
sole issue. "If the cost of the port is very high then maybe a port that
is further away may be economically viable," he noted. "But I think the
Djiboutian government will understand this and make it as competitive as
possible." [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27317]

SOMALIA: Concern over escalating violence in Gedo

A group of NGOs, UN agencies and donor governments has expressed concern
over what it describes as the deteriorating situation in the north of
Somalia's Gedo Region. In a press release on Thursday, the Somalia Aid
Coordination Body (SACB), said there had been an upsurge in violent
fighting of late, which had caused death, injury and displacement to many
Somalis. Furthermore, the insecurity was seriously impairing the delivery
of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to thousands of people "in
increasingly desperate need".

"The SACB strongly condemns the assassination of Nur Muhammad Yusuf, a
senior local staff member of an international NGO who was killed on 11
April as a result of the current fighting, and the deaths of other
innocent civilians caught in crossfire," the statement said. It added that
reports of increasing weapons movements in the Gedo Region was causing
particular concern as this indicated that preparations for further
fighting were "ongoing". "The SACB calls upon the warring parties in Gedo
to desist from the fighting, so that humanitarian access to the area,
presently lost, is regained. Without the re-establishment of this
humanitarian access many more people could die," it warned. "The current
violence has caused thousands of people to flee their homes, exacerbating
an already difficult situation," it said. [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27345]

SOMALIA: Puntland leader ready to join united state

The president of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, in
northeastern Somalia, has pledged to join a united Somalia once there is
peace in the region. Jama Ali Jama told IRIN on Thursday the region was
prepared to join a federal system within a unified Somali state. He was
speaking during a five-day visit to Ethiopia for discussions on how the
two sides could join forces in the fight against terrorism. He said
terrorists had plagued both Puntland and Ethiopia, along their common
border.

"We and the Ethiopians have the same problem - the destabilisation of the
region. We share a very long border with Ethiopia," he said. "We want both
Ethiopia and Puntland to live in very normal conditions and for that
reason we have a common view against terrorism and [want] to remove any
other misunderstandings between the two parties."

Jama also spoke of his hopes for the Somali reconciliation talks due to
take place in Nairobi, Kenya. "I hope there will be very fruitful and very
positive discussions," he said. "Peace will be a giant step for the
reunification of Somalia."

He said the talks offered a real chance for peace in the region. "I am
very optimistic about the talks," he added. However, he said his
administration was opposed to the current Transitional National Government
(TNG). "I don't think the TNG is improving the situation in Somalia. They
had a golden opportunity to create a base for the government of Somalia,
but they didn't succeed. The starting point was very positive, but at the
moment the result seems to have failed. However, he believed that peace
was in sight in Somalia. "All components of the other groups, be it the
TNG or [opposition] SRRC [Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council]
or warlords, should see that the population has been suffering for a long
time. Enough is enough. It is time to realise that people want to create a
national, federal democratic government." [Full report at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27343]

SOMALIA: Djibouti declines fact-finding mission

Two members of the Somali peace talks' technical committee left Nairobi
for Somalia on a fact-finding mission on Wednesday, but the third member -
Djibouti - refused to go, stating there had not been enough preparation. A
Djibouti statement, made available to IRIN in Nairobi, expressed regret
over the "haste" with which the mission had been put together. But
Djibouti government officials stressed this was a small setback and the
Somali peace process was still on track.

The regional grouping, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD),
is brokering a Somali reconciliation conference, which was due to have
been held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi this month. The Kenyan government
has been tasked with arranging the conference and a technical committee,
made up of Somalia's three neighbouring countries - Ethiopia, Kenya and
Djibouti - has been set up to prepare for the talks. The Djibouti
government expressed support for Kenya's "sincere commitment" to the peace
process, but said lack of preparations for the current mission was the
main reason for its decision not to take part in the visit.

"The preparatory phase constitutes a crucial stage in which details cannot
be overlooked and which must be managed with the utmost rigour," the
statement said. "The Nairobi conference has raised huge expectations among
the Somali people and has unreserved support from the entire international
community," the statement added. "For this reason it is imperative to take
all the necessary measures and include all efforts at dialogue among the
various actors, in order to respond to these hopes and to guarantee the
best chance of success for the conference." Analysts note it is highly
unlikely that the conference will take place this month.

SOMALIA: TNG raises concerns with technical committee

Members of Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG) in Mogadishu
have met officials from the technical committee delegation. The TNG
information minister, Abdirahman Adan Ibrahim "Ibbi", told IRIN on Friday
they were received on Thursday night by officials from the foreign
ministry and given the opportunity to meet anyone they wanted.

The technical committee, set up by the Inter-Governmental Authority on
Development (IGAD), which is brokering the reconciliation talks, is made
up of Somalia's immediate neighbours - Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.
However, Djibouti failed to accompany the other two countries on the
fact-finding mission to Somalia earlier this week, expressing concern that
there had not been enough preparation for the visit.

The information minister said that while the meeting in Mogadishu had been
useful, the TNG had nevertheless expressed various concerns regarding the
reconciliation conference. "If you are not in agreement among yourselves,
how can you hope to make agreements between all the Somali factions?", he
asked, referring to the rift among the technical committee members. [Full
report at: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27360]

SUDAN: NGOs urge move towards "just and sustainable" peace

Increased commitment to addressing the long-running Sudanese conflict is
encouraging, but the humanitarian crisis affecting most people in the
south of the country remains intolerable, according to a report released
on 12 April by a group of NGOs active in the country. Compiled jointly by
CARE International, Tearfund, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children,
it argues that the vast majority of Sudanese people are exhausted by the
civil war and disappointed by the lack of progress towards a broad peace -
notwithstanding gains in implementing four confidence-building measures
proposed by US peace envoy John Danforth.

"This is a critical time for all concerned governments, agencies and
warring parties to work in concert to bring about a just and sustainable
peace in Sudan," according to the report, entitled The Key to Peace:
Unlocking the human potential of Sudan. "The war has exacted a terrible
and poorly communicated human cost, and it must end - now," the report
added. In it, the NGOs revealed the human cost of the Sudanese conflict
and outlined measures needed to curb the humanitarian crisis while also
steering the country towards long-term development and investment.

Its launch on Friday (12 April) coincided with the end of a fact-finding
mission to Sudan by four British MPs, who urged the international
community to exert pressure on the warring parties to make commitments to
ending the civil war, which has lasted 19 years in its latest phase. [see
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=27266]

The civil war in Sudan has directly resulted in the deaths of at least two
million people and caused the largest displacement of people in Africa,
estimated at four million, according to the report. It has also eroded
health, education and other vital services throughout the country - but
especially in the south, it stated. Moreover, the agencies said, the war
had heightened people's vulnerability to famine, eroded their already
fragile coping strategies and destroyed vital assets and livelihoods, such
that an estimated 92 percent of Sudanese were living below the poverty
line. [Full report at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27294]

SUDAN: American-led slavery mission due to report in May

The US-led eminent persons group on slavery, abduction and forced
servitude in Sudan expects to have developed some practical ideas on what
can be done about these impediments to ending the country's civil war by
late May, the US Department of State reported on 12 April. The
establishment of the group in late March was a follow-up to US peace envoy
John Danforth's proposition to the warring parties of four
confidence-building measures in November 2001. In these he included an end
to the taking of slaves and abduction of civilians. [see
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=15561]

"Of course, the government of Sudan does not accept the characterisation
that slavery does exist in Sudan, but it does acknowledge there are
abductions and forced servitude," the State Department on Friday quoted
the mission leader, Penn Kemble, as saying before his departure on the
10-day trip to Sudan on 8 April.

Kemble, senior scholar at the US-based human rights organisation Freedom
House, is leading the eight-member team to explore the issue, following an
agreement by the Sudanese government and rebel Sudan People's Liberation
Movement/Army (SPLM/A) with Danforth in December. In addition to Kemble
and another American, George Moose, a former Assistant Secretary of State
for African Affairs, the team includes members from Britain, Italy, France
and Norway. "If there is some prospect of resolving the range of issues
and helping the Sudanese achieve a just peace, this [mission] could be
something of tremendous value and contribute to the normalisation of the
situation elsewhere in the region," the State Department on Friday quoted
Kemble as saying. [see http://usinfo.state.gov/products/washfile/]

The group has been asked to "recommend steps that can be taken by the
parties to the conflict, and the international community, to end such
abuses", according to the State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher.
[Full report at: http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=27268]


IRIN-CEA
Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
Email: IRIN@ocha.unon.org

[This Item is Delivered to the "Africa-English" Service of the UN's IRIN
humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views
of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or to
change your keywords, contact e-mail: IRIN@ocha.unon.org or Web:
http://www.irinnews.org . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this
item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial
sites requires written IRIN permission.]

Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2002


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
                                          web: www.cidi.org
                                     listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Horn of Africa                   www.cidi.org/humanitarian/irin/hafrica