Global Financial Integrity (GFI) identifies problem in Ethiopia

The NGO Global Financial Integrity just released its most recent report on illicit financial flows from developing countries. The situation in Ethiopia clearly deteriorated in 2009 as noted in a Bloomberg article, in which I am quoted.

I am including, however, a more detailed analysis of a separate statement about Ethiopia by the co-author of the GFI report. While the 2009 numbers for Ethiopia are worrisome, when put in perspective of other African countries, it raises questions why Ethiopia was singled out for criticism by the co-author of the report. What is most important is what happened in 2010 and 2011. These figures are not yet available.

Ethiopia and 2011 Global Financial Integrity Report

"Burkina Faso President Dismisses Cabinet as Soldiers Loot in Ouagadougou"

I'm quoted in Simon Gongo and Jason McLure's Bloomberg article about Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaore dismissing his government. Here's my quote:

“There is a long history in Burkina of high unemployment, economic inequality, closed politics and police repression,” David Shinn, a former U.S. ambassador to the country, said in an e-mailed response to questions. “Similar factors applied to Tunisia and Egypt,” where popular protests ousted longstanding rulers earlier this year.

"Qaddafi's African Dream in Tatters"

UPDATE 3/9: This story, including my quote, is linked and cited in this Christian Science Monitor piece by Drew Hinshaw.

I'm quoted in Jason McLure's Bloomberg article "Qaddafi's African Dream in Tatters as Net Tightens Around `King of Kings.'"

Here are my quotes:

“Assuming Qaddafi is finished you’re going to have a very different role that Libya plays whoever is in charge vis-a-vis the rest of sub-Saharan Africa,” David Shinn, a former U.S. ambassador to Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, said in a phone interview from Washington. “Libya will become over the next couple of years a very modest player in African affairs.”

... Creating the regional group “was his way of providing aid and investment to member nations,” said Shinn. “They saw it as a way of getting largesse out of Libya. I would not be a bit surprised if that organization collapses.”

Image: Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi seen here in 2008. Photographer: Artyom Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images.

"Ethiopia Rebels Say Petronas Concession Sale Shows State's Lack of Control"

Creative commons photo of the Petronas Towers. Petronas is discussed in the article below.

I'm quoted in William Davison's Bloomberg piece. Here's the quote:

The Maow group has not conducted military attacks in the Ogaden and is “largely an exile organization,” David Shinn, a former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, said in an e-mailed response to questions on Oct. 8.

Here's the full text of the quote I provided:

There are two factions of the ONLF: the group engaged militarily in the Ogaden and led by Mohamed Osman, former admiral of Somalia's tiny navy, and another group led by Salahdin Abdurahman Maow, who lives in Germany. The Maow group is largely an exile organization and, to the best of my knowledge, has not conducted military attacks in the Ogaden. It has been in talks with the government of Ethiopia and says it is ready to sign a peace agreement with Ethiopia in October 2010. Both sides acknowledge this development.

The Osman faction is responsible for the military attacks in the Ogaden and denies any discussions with the government of Ethiopia. It once had support from Eritrea, although that seems to be minimal today. The Osman faction issues regular military communiqués, which are usually highly exaggerated. I am told that the people responsible for issuing the communiqués have generally poor communication with the ONLF commanders on the ground. Ethiopian government accounts of these same attacks probably downplay them; the truth is somewhere in between.

Nevertheless, the Osman faction occasionally carries out a significant attack as in the case of the 2007 attack on the Chinese base camp in the Ogaden used for energy prospecting.

Bloomberg: "Ethiopia’s Meles Heads for Vote Win as West Gives Aid"

UPDATE 5/25: I see my interview with Bloomberg is reprinted in these two San Francisco Chronicle stories.

I'm quoted in Jason McLure's Bloomberg article, "Ethiopia’s Meles Heads for Vote Win as West Gives Aid."

Here's the quote:

"What Ethiopia is doing is looking at the Chinese model and taking bits and pieces of it and adapting it to their own context," David Shinn, the U.S. ambassador to the country from 1996 to 1999, said in a May 11 phone interview from Washington. "I think they’re comfortable with the way China does things and the way China handles human rights issues."

Quote on Libya's Qaddafi in Bloomberg

I'm quoted in Jason McLure's Bloomberg story "Libya’s Qaddafi May Plunge African Union Summit Into Conflict." Here's my quote:

"I think Qaddafi has had grand ideas from the day he took power in Libya," said David Shinn a former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, in a Jan. 27 phone interview. "During his incumbency at the African Union I think he continued to propagate those ideas maybe knowing full well they were not going to come to fruition."

Image: "Muammar al-Gaddafi pictured at the 12th African Union summit February.02.2009 in Addis Ababa." Flickr Creative Commons-licensed content.