- Posted: 06 Mar 2013 10:59 AM PSTby elias
(NPR) -- Kenyans on Monday held their presidential vote. Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta are the top two contenders.
Kenyans were growing increasingly frustrated that the announcements of public vote tallies ceased close to 48 hours after polls closed. The breakdown of the electronic vote system has meant less than half of preliminary results were released. Officials — who have been working to ensure violence doesn't break out this election — are calling for patience.
"The delay is giving rise to conspiracy theories. People are panicking about the delay in the results of the elections. But unlike last election there is a level of restraint," said Kevin Muriunge, a 25-year-old student.
Referring to long voting lines during Monday's vote, Alojz Peterle, a former president of Slovenia and the chief observer in the European Union observer mission, said that Kenyans have demonstrated they are capable of great patience.
"But even more patience is called for now," he said.
The election commission chairman announced late Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of ballots that were rejected for not following the rules would be counted in the overall vote total. That makes it very difficult, given the tight race, for either top candidate to reach the 50 percent mark needed to win outright.
Election observers from around the world said Wednesday that Kenya carried out a credible election Monday, but the groups reserved final judgments until the election process is completed. Some observers said it appeared a runoff between Odinga and Kenyatta is likely.
The partial preliminary results on Tuesday had shown an early lead for Kenyatta. Odinga's camp told supporters that the votes from his strongholds had not yet all been tallied.
The statement from Kenyatta's coalition Wednesday implied that the British high commissioner pressured the commission to make the decision on the spoiled ballots, thus ensuring a runoff.
John Stremlau, an election observer with The Carter Center, the body run by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, said that it might be better for Kenyatta's coalition to use "foreign powers" as a whipping post than attacking Kenyans.
"It does seem to me to be a mindset of the old colonial era that the foreign powers would be dictating to the (election commission) in any way," Stremlau said, adding later: "There are going to be accusations in every election ... and they must be backed by evidence. Show the proof and let the judges decide and we'll all be better off."
Franklin Bett, an official in Odinga's party, echoed that statement. "Talk is easy. Let them come with the evidence," he said.
William Ruto, Kenyatta's running mate, on Tuesday had also blamed "foreign missions" for swaying the electoral commission on its ballot decision. The decision "is meant to deny us a first-round win," Ruto was quoted as saying.
Kenya is the lynchpin of East Africa's economy and plays a vital security role in the fight against Somali militants. The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is the largest in Africa, indicating this country's importance to U.S. foreign policy.
The U.S. has warned of "consequences" if Kenyatta is to win, as have several European countries. Because Kenyatta is an ICC indictee, the U.S. and Europe have said they might have to limit contact with him, even if he is president.
Aisha Abdullahi, the commissioner for political affairs at the African Union, said it was good that Kenyan officials had planned for a backup system — the physical tallies of votes — given the breakdown in the electronic transmission system. He blamed the break-down on a failure of central computer servers.
"Yes, we in Africa are trying to catch up with you guys with electronic things. We are not yet as proficient as Western Europe or North America," said Festus Mogae in response to a question from a European reporter. Mogae is a former president of Botswana and head of the Commonwealth observer mission.
"That it's failed is no surprise to me. It often does in our countries."
___
Associated Press reporter Rodney Muhumuza contributed to this report.
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Posted: 05 Mar 2013 02:11 PM PSTFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 8, 2012| By USCIRFThe U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned about the increasing deterioration of religious freedoms for Muslims in Ethiopia. Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to force a change in the sect of Islam practiced nationwide and has punished clergy and laity who have resisted. Muslims throughout Ethiopia have been arrested during peaceful protests: On October 29, the Ethiopia government charged 29 protestors with terrorism and attempting to establish an Islamic state.“These charges are only the latest and most concerning attempt by the Ethiopian government to crush opposition to its efforts to control the practice of religion by imposing on Ethiopian Muslims a specific interpretation of Islam,” said USCIRF Commissioner Azizah al-Hibri. “The individuals charged were among tens of thousands peacefully protesting the government’s violations of international standards and their constitutional right to religious freedom. The Ethiopian government should cease interfering in the internal affairs of its Muslim community and immediately and unconditionally release those wrongfully imprisoned.”Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to impose the al-Ahbash Islamic sect on the country’s Muslim community, a community that traditionally has practiced the Sufi form of Islam. The government also has manipulated the election of the new leaders of the Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC). Previously viewed as an independent body, EIASC is now viewed as a government-controlled institution. The arrests, terrorism charges and takeover of EIASC signify a troubling escalation in the government’s attempts to control Ethiopia’s Muslim community and provide further evidence of a decline in religious freedom in Ethiopia.“The U.S. government should raise with the new leadership in Addis Ababa the importance of abiding by Ethiopia’s own constitution and international standards on freedom of religion of belief. USCIRF has found that repressing religious communities in the name of countering extremism leads to more extremism, greater instability, and possibly violence,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett. “Given Ethiopia’s strategic importance in the Horn of Africa and that Muslims account for more than one-third of all Ethiopians, it is vital that the Ethiopian government end its religious freedom abuses and allow Muslims to practice peacefully their faith as they see fit. Otherwise, the government’s current policies and practices will lead to greater destabilization of an already volatile region.”BackgroundEthiopian Muslims traditionally are Sufis. Article 27 of the Ethiopian constitution guarantees religious freedom and “the independence of the state from religion.”However, due to a concern about the rise of Wahhabism in Ethiopia, the government in July 2011 brought al-Ahbash imams from Lebanon to train Ethiopian imams and Islamic school educators on that sect’s beliefs to teach their students and worshippers. The government dismissed from their positions those who refused to be trained in or teach al-Ahbash and closed mosques and schools. Beginning in December 2011, protests have been held almost every Friday outside of mosques after prayers. While these demonstrations have taken place nationwide, they are centered at the Awalia Mosque and Islamic school in Addis Ababa.As the protests continued, an Arbitration Committee of 17 Islamic leaders was created this past spring to negotiate with the government about: 1) respecting the Ethiopian constitution’s guarantees of religious freedom; 2) ending government imposition of al-Ahbash on Ethiopian Muslims, while allowing al-Ahbash to operate equally with other religious communities; 3) re-opening and returning schools and mosques to their original imams and administrators; and 4) holding new elections for the EIASC, and having these elections take place in mosques, rather than in neighborhood government community centers, to ensure that the community’s selections would be honored.By July, the negotiations had failed and the protests increased in both size and frequency. In response, the Ethiopian government started to crack down on and intimidate the demonstrators, surrounding them with armed guards and conducting house-to-house searches. Between July 13 and 21, the government arrested all 17 members of the Arbitration Committee and at least 70 protestors. (While the government has confirmed 70 people were arrested, demonstrators place the number in the hundreds). Human rights organizations reported that the police used excessive force against individuals during the arrests and while in detention. While many were released after being held for a short time, nine of the Arbitration Committee members remain in jail.The charges the government leveled on October 29 were the first issued against any of the arrested protestors, including the nine Arbitration Committee members who were not released with their colleagues in July. The individuals charged were first detained and held in Maikelwai federal police detention center, which frequently houses political prisoners and is known for abusing prisoners, including torturing them during interrogations. The individuals detained also were charged under the nation’s anti-terror law which has been used to target dissent, rather than to stop terrorism.Protestors now hold up yellow or white placards to signal that they are peaceful and to condemn the arrests and charges. While the demonstrations largely have been peaceful, there have been a few violent incidents: On October 21, 2011 four Muslims were killed as they stormed a jail attempting to free protestors and in April 2012 five people were killed protesting the dismissal of an imam who refused to propagate al-Ahbash.Posted: 05 Mar 2013 01:56 PM PSTFREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS ABOUT TO BE DROPPED DOWN TO ZERO-LEVEL
Ethiopia-the east top of Africa has over eighty-five million population with a great potential to impact on the keeping peace and stability in the horn of Africa and middle east. Over 80% of nile river source, a life-line to Egypt and has significant impact to Sudan, is originated from Ethiopian high-lands.Its two major neighbours Sudan and Somalia share over one thousand kilo meters border. Topographic land of the nation has also a great potential to control the middle east nations which are almost with sea-level topography.
The ancient land- Ethiopia, political environment is keeping on going from bad to worse.With out any magnifying freedom of expression is about to be dropped to zero level.A number of journalists including Eskindir Nega have been sent to prison.No one can predict their release date.It is so difficult to obtain a citizen who has full confidence on judiciary body. The most valuable social institution in Ethiopia for the past over three thousand years, religious institutions are under strong supper vision of the TPLF-EPRDF security bodies. Ethiopian muslims demand of organising them selves freely and fairly is hijacked by direct intervention of the government.That is just by calling them as ''terrorists''.Numerous blogs (including this particular blog-'Gudayachn') and web-sites are blocked and affected not to be easily readable by the people residing in Ethiopia.The same is happening on Ethiopian Orthodox church. A typical example for such contrary to law act of the government is the last week's Ethiopian Orthodox church patriarch election process. The event was no more secrete to the whole of the church community. Because it was quite known as Abune Matias the bishop of Ethiopian Orthodox church and monasteries in Jerusalem was the first proposed bishop by pro-TPLF-EPRDF bodies. That is why it was not surprised and could not being a sudden event not only for the church's community but for the mentioned bishop also.Because it was pre-determined by TPLF officials.The civil servant who represent the middle class of the large urban residents, is under strong tension by pro-TPLF-EPRDF cadres. Being professional is not a pre-codition to be appointed in any public offices.Rather to be a member of one of EPRDF ethnic-based organisations like TPLF (Tigray People Libration Front,OPDO (Oromo People Democratic Organisation), etc is 'unwritten obligatory'.It is quite clear that all the above facts happening in Ethiopia will be a huge hinder for the nation's development. Even though there are under going projects on infra stricture and construction sector, an over all transformation of society which is participating most part of the society is becoming far away from year to year.Russia and China are doing their home-work through their influence on political, economic and military affairs of Ethiopia.It is natural as dictators are very comfortable to be supported by any sort of interested country like China and Russia.This will continue since both are not putting an implementation of Democratic measures as a pre-conditions for bilateral relation ships. In fact it is not fair to request them to interfere positively on Ethiopia's democratic process as being a citizen of so verging nation. But ignorance of any part of the world's country problem is not part of the contemporary world order named globalisation..China and Russia keeping their long hands in the horn of Africa
China's strong influence is more visible in the Economic feature of Ethiopia particularly on construction and infrastructures sector.China huge investment in Ethiopia is growing every year. According to ''all africa.com'' february 18,2013 report states as''....There are 415 Chinese companies that have taken out licences between August 27, 1998 and October 16, 2012, according to data from the Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA). However, this figure includes companies who have packed up and left.China is the topmost export and import trading partner of Ethiopia, and its foreign direct investment (FDI)to the country has grown to 58.5million dollars in 2010, according to a World Bank survey published in November 2012......The stock of FDI from China to Ethiopia was 58.5 million dollars while the total Chinese FDI stock reached 403 million dollars in 2010. Out of the 413 Chinese companies operating in Ethiopia, 69pc are owned privately.Currently, South Africa, Nigeria and Zambia are the highest receivers of Chinese FDI in Africa, which totalled 12 billion dollars in 2011. A survey was conducted by the World Bank in May 2012 at the request of the Ethiopian government, who wants to actively compete for the inflow of FDI from China.'' (http://allafrica.com/stories/201302190198.html) The same is happening with Russia. Even if its economic interference is not comparable with degree of china's impact, it could not be undermined Russia's ability to make difference in Ethiopia particularly with its renewed military relationship. ''Addis Neger'' number one Amharic News paper, which ceased its circulation since 2009 at the result of oppressive policy of the government, on its face book page has quoted ''voice of Russia'' reads as-''Russia will set up a network of service and maintenance centres in Ethiopia for the weapons it had previously sold to the East African nation.Addressing participants in a Russian-Ethiopian business forum in Moscow on Thursday, President Putin’s Africa ties point man, Mikhail Margelov, mentioned the close defence cooperation between the two countries, including the sale of military aircraft to Addis Ababa.Mentioning the two nations’ shared positions on many acute problems facing the African continent, Margelov said that after a “deplorable break in ties during the 1990s”,Moscow had reassessed the importance of close ties with African countries and was now starting to actively use this potential in politics and economicsPosted: 06 Mar 2013 10:59 AM Pby elias
(NPR) -- Kenyans on Monday held their presidential vote. Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta are the top two contenders.
Kenyans were growing increasingly frustrated that the announcements of public vote tallies ceased close to 48 hours after polls closed. The breakdown of the electronic vote system has meant less than half of preliminary results were released. Officials — who have been working to ensure violence doesn't break out this election — are calling for patience.
"The delay is giving rise to conspiracy theories. People are panicking about the delay in the results of the elections. But unlike last election there is a level of restraint," said Kevin Muriunge, a 25-year-old student.
Referring to long voting lines during Monday's vote, Alojz Peterle, a former president of Slovenia and the chief observer in the European Union observer mission, said that Kenyans have demonstrated they are capable of great patience.
"But even more patience is called for now," he said.
The election commission chairman announced late Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of ballots that were rejected for not following the rules would be counted in the overall vote total. That makes it very difficult, given the tight race, for either top candidate to reach the 50 percent mark needed to win outright.
Election observers from around the world said Wednesday that Kenya carried out a credible election Monday, but the groups reserved final judgments until the election process is completed. Some observers said it appeared a runoff between Odinga and Kenyatta is likely.
The partial preliminary results on Tuesday had shown an early lead for Kenyatta. Odinga's camp told supporters that the votes from his strongholds had not yet all been tallied.
The statement from Kenyatta's coalition Wednesday implied that the British high commissioner pressured the commission to make the decision on the spoiled ballots, thus ensuring a runoff.
John Stremlau, an election observer with The Carter Center, the body run by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, said that it might be better for Kenyatta's coalition to use "foreign powers" as a whipping post than attacking Kenyans.
"It does seem to me to be a mindset of the old colonial era that the foreign powers would be dictating to the (election commission) in any way," Stremlau said, adding later: "There are going to be accusations in every election ... and they must be backed by evidence. Show the proof and let the judges decide and we'll all be better off."
Franklin Bett, an official in Odinga's party, echoed that statement. "Talk is easy. Let them come with the evidence," he said.
William Ruto, Kenyatta's running mate, on Tuesday had also blamed "foreign missions" for swaying the electoral commission on its ballot decision. The decision "is meant to deny us a first-round win," Ruto was quoted as saying.
Kenya is the lynchpin of East Africa's economy and plays a vital security role in the fight against Somali militants. The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is the largest in Africa, indicating this country's importance to U.S. foreign policy.
The U.S. has warned of "consequences" if Kenyatta is to win, as have several European countries. Because Kenyatta is an ICC indictee, the U.S. and Europe have said they might have to limit contact with him, even if he is president.
Aisha Abdullahi, the commissioner for political affairs at the African Union, said it was good that Kenyan officials had planned for a backup system — the physical tallies of votes — given the breakdown in the electronic transmission system. He blamed the break-down on a failure of central computer servers.
"Yes, we in Africa are trying to catch up with you guys with electronic things. We are not yet as proficient as Western Europe or North America," said Festus Mogae in response to a question from a European reporter. Mogae is a former president of Botswana and head of the Commonwealth observer mission.
"That it's failed is no surprise to me. It often does in our countries."
___
Associated Press reporter Rodney Muhumuza contributed to this report.
Share On:
Posted: 05 Mar 2013 02:11 PM PSTFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 8, 2012| By USCIRFThe U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned about the increasing deterioration of religious freedoms for Muslims in Ethiopia. Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to force a change in the sect of Islam practiced nationwide and has punished clergy and laity who have resisted. Muslims throughout Ethiopia have been arrested during peaceful protests: On October 29, the Ethiopia government charged 29 protestors with terrorism and attempting to establish an Islamic state.“These charges are only the latest and most concerning attempt by the Ethiopian government to crush opposition to its efforts to control the practice of religion by imposing on Ethiopian Muslims a specific interpretation of Islam,” said USCIRF Commissioner Azizah al-Hibri. “The individuals charged were among tens of thousands peacefully protesting the government’s violations of international standards and their constitutional right to religious freedom. The Ethiopian government should cease interfering in the internal affairs of its Muslim community and immediately and unconditionally release those wrongfully imprisoned.”Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to impose the al-Ahbash Islamic sect on the country’s Muslim community, a community that traditionally has practiced the Sufi form of Islam. The government also has manipulated the election of the new leaders of the Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC). Previously viewed as an independent body, EIASC is now viewed as a government-controlled institution. The arrests, terrorism charges and takeover of EIASC signify a troubling escalation in the government’s attempts to control Ethiopia’s Muslim community and provide further evidence of a decline in religious freedom in Ethiopia.“The U.S. government should raise with the new leadership in Addis Ababa the importance of abiding by Ethiopia’s own constitution and international standards on freedom of religion of belief. USCIRF has found that repressing religious communities in the name of countering extremism leads to more extremism, greater instability, and possibly violence,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett. “Given Ethiopia’s strategic importance in the Horn of Africa and that Muslims account for more than one-third of all Ethiopians, it is vital that the Ethiopian government end its religious freedom abuses and allow Muslims to practice peacefully their faith as they see fit. Otherwise, the government’s current policies and practices will lead to greater destabilization of an already volatile region.”BackgroundEthiopian Muslims traditionally are Sufis. Article 27 of the Ethiopian constitution guarantees religious freedom and “the independence of the state from religion.”However, due to a concern about the rise of Wahhabism in Ethiopia, the government in July 2011 brought al-Ahbash imams from Lebanon to train Ethiopian imams and Islamic school educators on that sect’s beliefs to teach their students and worshippers. The government dismissed from their positions those who refused to be trained in or teach al-Ahbash and closed mosques and schools. Beginning in December 2011, protests have been held almost every Friday outside of mosques after prayers. While these demonstrations have taken place nationwide, they are centered at the Awalia Mosque and Islamic school in Addis Ababa.As the protests continued, an Arbitration Committee of 17 Islamic leaders was created this past spring to negotiate with the government about: 1) respecting the Ethiopian constitution’s guarantees of religious freedom; 2) ending government imposition of al-Ahbash on Ethiopian Muslims, while allowing al-Ahbash to operate equally with other religious communities; 3) re-opening and returning schools and mosques to their original imams and administrators; and 4) holding new elections for the EIASC, and having these elections take place in mosques, rather than in neighborhood government community centers, to ensure that the community’s selections would be honored.By July, the negotiations had failed and the protests increased in both size and frequency. In response, the Ethiopian government started to crack down on and intimidate the demonstrators, surrounding them with armed guards and conducting house-to-house searches. Between July 13 and 21, the government arrested all 17 members of the Arbitration Committee and at least 70 protestors. (While the government has confirmed 70 people were arrested, demonstrators place the number in the hundreds). Human rights organizations reported that the police used excessive force against individuals during the arrests and while in detention. While many were released after being held for a short time, nine of the Arbitration Committee members remain in jail.The charges the government leveled on October 29 were the first issued against any of the arrested protestors, including the nine Arbitration Committee members who were not released with their colleagues in July. The individuals charged were first detained and held in Maikelwai federal police detention center, which frequently houses political prisoners and is known for abusing prisoners, including torturing them during interrogations. The individuals detained also were charged under the nation’s anti-terror law which has been used to target dissent, rather than to stop terrorism.Protestors now hold up yellow or white placards to signal that they are peaceful and to condemn the arrests and charges. While the demonstrations largely have been peaceful, there have been a few violent incidents: On October 21, 2011 four Muslims were killed as they stormed a jail attempting to free protestors and in April 2012 five people were killed protesting the dismissal of an imam who refused to propagate al-Ahbash.Posted: 05 Mar 2013 01:56 PM PSTFREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS ABOUT TO BE DROPPED DOWN TO ZERO-LEVEL
Ethiopia-the east top of Africa has over eighty-five million population with a great potential to impact on the keeping peace and stability in the horn of Africa and middle east. Over 80% of nile river source, a life-line to Egypt and has significant impact to Sudan, is originated from Ethiopian high-lands.Its two major neighbours Sudan and Somalia share over one thousand kilo meters border. Topographic land of the nation has also a great potential to control the middle east nations which are almost with sea-level topography.
The ancient land- Ethiopia, political environment is keeping on going from bad to worse.With out any magnifying freedom of expression is about to be dropped to zero level.A number of journalists including Eskindir Nega have been sent to prison.No one can predict their release date.It is so difficult to obtain a citizen who has full confidence on judiciary body. The most valuable social institution in Ethiopia for the past over three thousand years, religious institutions are under strong supper vision of the TPLF-EPRDF security bodies. Ethiopian muslims demand of organising them selves freely and fairly is hijacked by direct intervention of the government.That is just by calling them as ''terrorists''.Numerous blogs (including this particular blog-'Gudayachn') and web-sites are blocked and affected not to be easily readable by the people residing in Ethiopia.The same is happening on Ethiopian Orthodox church. A typical example for such contrary to law act of the government is the last week's Ethiopian Orthodox church patriarch election process. The event was no more secrete to the whole of the church community. Because it was quite known as Abune Matias the bishop of Ethiopian Orthodox church and monasteries in Jerusalem was the first proposed bishop by pro-TPLF-EPRDF bodies. That is why it was not surprised and could not being a sudden event not only for the church's community but for the mentioned bishop also.Because it was pre-determined by TPLF officials.The civil servant who represent the middle class of the large urban residents, is under strong tension by pro-TPLF-EPRDF cadres. Being professional is not a pre-codition to be appointed in any public offices.Rather to be a member of one of EPRDF ethnic-based organisations like TPLF (Tigray People Libration Front,OPDO (Oromo People Democratic Organisation), etc is 'unwritten obligatory'.It is quite clear that all the above facts happening in Ethiopia will be a huge hinder for the nation's development. Even though there are under going projects on infra stricture and construction sector, an over all transformation of society which is participating most part of the society is becoming far away from year to year.Russia and China are doing their home-work through their influence on political, economic and military affairs of Ethiopia.It is natural as dictators are very comfortable to be supported by any sort of interested country like China and Russia.This will continue since both are not putting an implementation of Democratic measures as a pre-conditions for bilateral relation ships. In fact it is not fair to request them to interfere positively on Ethiopia's democratic process as being a citizen of so verging nation. But ignorance of any part of the world's country problem is not part of the contemporary world order named globalisation..China and Russia keeping their long hands in the horn of Africa
China's strong influence is more visible in the Economic feature of Ethiopia particularly on construction and infrastructures sector.China huge investment in Ethiopia is growing every year. According to ''all africa.com'' february 18,2013 report states as''....There are 415 Chinese companies that have taken out licences between August 27, 1998 and October 16, 2012, according to data from the Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA). However, this figure includes companies who have packed up and left.China is the topmost export and import trading partner of Ethiopia, and its foreign direct investment (FDI)to the country has grown to 58.5million dollars in 2010, according to a World Bank survey published in November 2012......The stock of FDI from China to Ethiopia was 58.5 million dollars while the total Chinese FDI stock reached 403 million dollars in 2010. Out of the 413 Chinese companies operating in Ethiopia, 69pc are owned privately.Currently, South Africa, Nigeria and Zambia are the highest receivers of Chinese FDI in Africa, which totalled 12 billion dollars in 2011. A survey was conducted by the World Bank in May 2012 at the request of the Ethiopian government, who wants to actively compete for the inflow of FDI from China.'' (http://allafrica.com/stories/201302190198.html) The same is happening with Russia. Even if its economic interference is not comparable with degree of china's impact, it could not be undermined Russia's ability to make difference in Ethiopia particularly with its renewed military relationship. ''Addis Neger'' number one Amharic News paper, which ceased its circulation since 2009 at the result of oppressive policy of the government, on its face book page has quoted ''voice of Russia'' reads as-''Russia will set up a network of service and maintenance centres in Ethiopia for the weapons it had previously sold to the East African nation.Addressing participants in a Russian-Ethiopian business forum in Moscow on Thursday, President Putin’s Africa ties point man, Mikhail Margelov, mentioned the close defence cooperation between the two countries, including the sale of military aircraft to Addis Ababa.Mentioning the two nations’ shared positions on many acute problems facing the African continent, Margelov said that after a “deplorable break in ties during the 1990s”,Moscow had reassessed the importance of close ties with African countries and was now starting to actively use this potential in politics and economics
torsdag 7. mars 2013
CHINA AND RUSSIA LONG HANDS VS IGNORANCE OF THE WEST TO ETHIOPIANS DEMAND FOR BASIC DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
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