Friday, April 9, 2010

Comments on Horn of Africa before diaspora group in Washington

Ambassador David Shinn's Vision for the Horn of Africa UPDATE 4/16: At the end of the conference, the organizers issued a statement dated April 11, 2010, titled "Virginia Declaration of the Conference on Good Governance, Peace, Security and Sustainable Development in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa." Although I participated in one panel session at the conference (see the text of my remarks above), I want to be on the record that I did not have any role in drafting the declaration nor do I agree with significant aspects of it. I have been critical of certain EPRDF policies in the past and will continue to do so in the future. The declaration in question, however, makes no effort to strike a balance between constructive criticism and noting progress where progress has occurred in Ethiopia.