The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has developed a document that will provide an effective framework for the gradual transition of security responsibilities to Somalia’s security institutions.
The Concept of Operations (CONOPs), which will guide AMISOM’s activities and operations for the 2018-2021 period, marks the final phase of the AU Mission’s transition and eventual exit from Somalia.
The action-oriented document, once approved by the African Union and senior defence officials from troop contributing countries, will mark yet another milestone in the Mission’s quest for a peaceful and democratic Somalia.
Speaking at the closing of the five-day meeting held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Francisco Madeira, hailed the document and expressed optimism that it will deliver.
“We want to produce a document that is workable, a document that is in a position capable of producing the expected results and we are very much optimistic that we will do it,” said the SRCC who is also the head of mission.
The Concept of Operations (CONOPS) 2018 workshop looked at the Mission’s Somalia transition plan vis-à-vis the political and security situation in the country, emerging from decades of civil strife.
Participants at the workshop included the Mission’s staff, officials of the Federal Government of Somalia, and representatives of African Union based at the Addis Ababa Headquarters in Ethiopia.
The document is AMISOM’s intent regarding plans and aspirations that will culminate in the scheduled 2021 one-man-one vote elections and consequently the transfer, gradually, of the security responsibilities from the Mission to Somali security forces.
“This is a very important undertaking and endeavor because it marks a crucial step in a very crucial moment we find ourselves in our efforts in Somalia,” Ambassador Madeira observed, noting that the document is a product of “hard-work and open and frank discussions”.
The workshop looked into the issue of the Mission’s military component and analyzed how it is working towards delivering a “safe” Somalia to its people.
Resolving the problem in Somalia, the SRCC noted, requires more than just the military approach and AMISOM is towing that line.
“Security is not just a matter of shooting Al-Shabaab but it is also a matter of extending our hands to those elements of Al-Shabaab who for whatever reason had slid into violence and extremism and now are willing to abandon that path,” the SRCC explained.
The SRCC exhorted the Mission’s partners, troop and police contributing countries and all Somalis to “put our hands together” to ensure that peace and security is returned in the country.
Ambassador Madeira thanked Kenya for hosting the meeting.
In his speech the representative of the Government of Kenya at the meeting, Maj Gen Adan Mulata, told the participants that an all-inclusive engagement was key to the Somalia peace effort. This, he noted, requires the stakeholders to understand the dynamics facing Somalia and the change the country deserves.
Gen Mulata, who is the Assistant Chief of Defense Forces in charge of Operations, Doctrine and Training, noted that the document produced at the workshop is intended to place Somalia on a path of recovery.
Once adapted, the CONOPs 2018 “will guide the collective actions of the international community to augment activities of the Federal Government of Somalia towards the achievement of (the country’s) transitional plan.”
Gen. Mulata reiterated Kenya’s commitment to supporting the African Union and AMISOM towards achieving lasting peace and stability in Somalia. “We shouldn’t think twice, we shouldn’t blink” in helping Somalia, he added.
As regards the proposed military drawdown, the Kenya military chief said that whereas the exit was inevitable, stakeholders should be cautious, taking into consideration the conditions on the ground. The country has to be left in the hands of people capable of pursuing peace and recovery, he noted.
“Let us talk about meaningful change in Somalia not blame-games and fault-finding,” Maj Gen Mulata said and added that there has to be common objective, collective effort and clarity in order to rebuild Somalia
AMISOM develops document to guide transition and exit plan
Ethiopia ready to use Eritrean ports
Ethiopia has finished preconditions to begin international logistics operations via ports in Eritrea, Capital learned.
Since PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD) came to power the relationship between the two countries, has dramatically changed and citizens of the two nations are interacting closely in a way they have not been able to for the past 20 years.
The Ethiopian government announced that it would re-commence port service via Eritrea when the two countries agreed to a peace deal. The government has already formed a taskforce to speak with Eritrean officials to find ways to utilize Assab. Meanwhile, experts and relevant government officials have visited Assab and Massawa to assess starting the operation.
Sources at Ethiopian Maritime Affairs Authority (EMAA) told Capital that Ethiopia has finished preparing to use the ports in Eritrea. “We are waiting for the move from our northern neighbor,” a source at EMAA said.
For the last 20 years Ethiopia has used ports in Djibouti which was a good opportunity for the tiny state to establish new ports and modernize logistics facilities making it more competitive than others in the region.
Now Ethiopia, which is the most populous state without a sea port in the world, has also been looking to develop and own ports jointly in regional countries like Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya and Eritrea as well.
According to experts the assessment indicated that the port at Massawa would be an initial alternative to getting imports and exports from Ethiopia, although it is far when compared to the port at Assab or Djibouti.
For logistics in northern Ethiopia via Massawa, which is about 400 km from Mekele, the capital of Tigrai region is good for the country, according to an expert.
Meanwhile EMAA sources have not indicated whether Ethiopia will use Assab in the near future or not. However indications are that Assab, which was the major port hub for Ethiopian until the border conflict erupted in 1998, has been ideal for the past 20 years although some improvements at the facility are needed.
Experts say that Assab is the closest port to Ethiopia at 887km in distance but they note that the road, which is about 60km from port to the border of Ethiopia, on the Eritrean side, may need significant re-construction.
The distance from Djibouti ports to Ethiopia via Galafi is about 925km which is a bit further than Assab but the asphalt road to Djibouti via Dire Dawa will soon open so the distance will become closer than all ports in the region. The distance from Addis Ababa to Djibouti via Dire Dawa would be about 800km.
In addition, because of the new railway network the distance from Djibouti to Addis Ababa is 750km.
ART, LAW & OPEN BORDERS!
Ethiopia, the land of daily miracles, never ceases to amaze, and trust that every time you think you have it figured out…you really don’t. Case in point, the month of October in this fast changing nation sealed with the appointment of the First Female Supreme Court President, Justice Meaza Ashenafi. That announcement was preceded by confirmation of visa on arrival for all African passport holders, effective November 9th. Retorts to both span the spectrum from bravo to ‘bout time! For those of us in the arts and culture sector, these two landmark occurrences may prove to be important game changers for the art industry.
Collectors interested in cloth from the Congo, carvings from Benin or Shona stone sculptures from Zimbabwe can usually travel next door to Kenya where myriad offerings of such are available. Yet in the Diplomatic capital of Africa, seat of the African Union and 55 Member States you will be hard-pressed to find any of the above, much less contemporary fine art from the Continent.
It is my hope that the opening of Ethiopia to the rest of Africa will encourage artists and galleries alike to increase cultural exchange through exhibitions, art talks and residencies. This could precipitate a movement in the capital towards a true Pan African center for African arts; placing Ethiopia on the map, again. African artists of all elks can visit for inspiration, collaboration and even creation, as the country offers incredible experiences, diverse peoples and sites from land, lake and city-scapes. Ethiopian artists, art schools, studios and galleries may also expand their artistic lexicon through exposure to the works and creative philosophies of the continent; absent in current art pedagogies taught in Ethiopia.
Where the courts are concerned, making the President of the High Court a woman does not address the numerous legal issues on the horizon related to art and commerce. However, the fact that the Government of Ethiopia has said, jurisprudence is essential to progress and in recognition has appointed a ‘non usual suspect’ and activist to head the Courts speaks volumes. The slow but steady growing Ethiopian arts sector has yet to place issues such as intellectual property, copyright, licensing, commercial trade of art on the front burner. Frankly, I am not even sure if these issues have even made it into the kitchen. But mark my word that sooner rather than later, with the Continental Free Trade Act and relaxation of borders connecting the continent; a plethora of legal issues may find their way to High Courts in the near future. This may seem irrelevant but every creation of an artist has both a monetary and intrinsic value. That said the value of the artists’ work must be protected from theft, plagiarism or counterfieters. Additional buyers, licensee and collector’s rights will also play a role in the legal treatise on art, especially with the rising value of fine art in Ethiopia. Finally there are the issues of artifacts stolen from the country during the Italian invasion that may resort to legal remedy if diplomacy fails. A reliable court with a high moral compass must therefore be intact.
As a creative consultant/curator I connect everything to art. As an activist, the arts provide a platform for advocacy. As a jurist my foreseeability lens is relevant to art and as a wo-manager I defend the rights of artists and their creativity. True story. In May 2010, my phone rang. It was my dear friend and brother, Father of Ethio-Jazz, Dr. Mulatu Astatke. “Desi-eye, I need to talk to you…I hear Tizita is being sampled…I didn’t give permission…”. Me, “Ok, I will make a call…”. The song was “As We Enter” on the “Distant Relatives” album by Damian Marley and Nas, produced by Universal Records. Long story short the issue was addressed through knowledge of the law, existing principles for music publishing and a deep respect for the artist (that is once the caliber of the artist was clear and subsequent ramifications for IP violations were noted). But how many artists are established enough to create an immediate response and how many artists or their representatives know somebody, or know somebody who knows somebody? Ethiopia is at a stage where the arts sector requires implementation of existing laws that protect artists while creating new relevant policies that ensure a thriving commercial trade in fine art and the arts in general. With Ethiopia creating ease for a new and exciting corridor for trade, commerce and cultural exchange, a pro-active approach led by artists with jurists and other relevant stakeholders is essential.
Dr. Desta Meghoo is a Jamaican born Creative Consultant, Curator and cultural promoter based in Ethiopia since 2005. She also serves as Liaison to the AU for the Ghana based, Diaspora African Forum.
Refresher training for journalists
Our local radios and televisions are telling us to wash our hands before we touch our meals and after using toilets. This is a good personal hygiene orientation for the poor communities who are pushing on lives being affected by multitudes of communicable diseases. There is no denial that we should keep our hands clean if we need to be free from disease causing bacteria and germs. People residing in urban areas may not face serious problems of getting water for this and other related issues. But preaching the rural community about using water for the purpose of washing hands probably causes a mocking laughter. How can a thirsty individual think of washing hands in a country where there can hardly be found a single drop of water to moisten throat? ‘Who do they think is a fool to spill out water for this nonsense?’ This kind of reaction is indisputably reflected by citizens who have long been suffering from lack of clean water. A friend of mine who is working for an NGO once had to accomplish water related activities in a rural locality. He along with his colleagues gave orientation to the rural communities on what they should do using water; like washing hands and clothes, taking bath… After the orientation, the farming population were given chances to reflect their reactions. An elderly man rose to his feet and said, “my sons, we heard all what you have just said. We should extend our gratitude to you for doing this. But…could you please provide us with the water so that we can use it for what you are saying?” This is to mean that the thing is a kind of the cart before the horse.
This reminds me of a slogan which was said to be posted at every corner of local towns during the Derg era. My informants told me that this was one of the slogans used to be frequented during the famous illiteracy campaign. This slogan might not be taken word-for-word, but it goes like this… “You illiterate compatriots, set yourselves free from the darkness of illiteracy! Tear off the black curtain of illiteracy!” What I am interested in is that the slogan was meant to address the innocent citizens who could not read and write.
I don’t need to elaborate all about these two notices by saying they were aimed in such a careless manner that they cannot hit their respective targets.
One bright day while riding a cab I was listening to a radio. It was around 8:00 AM in the morning. This is commonly a breakfast hour across the country. That time the radio journalists were telling us about cultural favorite dishes frequented by people of other countries. However, these dishes are the ones our people do not feel comfortable with to see, let alone eat them. Anyways, that morning we were forced to hear about the ‘favorite’ food of roasted ants, toasted locusts and others. Don’t forget that this program was being transmitted during local breakfast time! What the hell are those editors of the radio doing while such unethical thing was done irresponsibly? (sounding bossy?) … That time one could visualize innocent women and young ladies while leaving their breakfasts on dining tables untouched. Introducing various dishes of different cultures to radio audiences is appreciable on its perspective of raising awareness. The problem is that the producers of the program seem not to take time to think over identifying the proper time in which the program should be aired.
The other day I heard over a local television about a single pigeon that “costs birr 100,000.00 (one hundred thousand)”! … What!? … Is this pigeon made of gold? Or does it defecate uranium? On top of that, what if it flies away the moment it is purchased? I don’t have the slightest idea about different species of pigeons. But I have never heard in my life about a pigeon that costs such big amount of money. I don’t know whether there is a species (of pigeon) which probably devours emerald or diamond. Is there anybody out there who can help? By the way, what this shows to me is that there are individuals who feel like spending (hard-earned?) money wantonly over such useless (at least for me) things. Did I hear the young seller saying over the television that the supply and demand of the pigeons were not compatible? My question now is… should this be done in a country which is always begging for wheat? Should Ethiopian individuals pay that amount of money for a pigeon in this poor country which is crying for its eight million starved citizens? Jesus of Nazareth! … Hey, to tell you something… I would be very happy if the reporter caught an Ethiopian guy (of course, for his/her views) while paying that huge amount of money for a single pigeon. What good news it would be!
Every day I hear a radio announcement on the risk of driving fast. The announcer said that driving fast could cause unexpected loss of human lives. “Driving fast causes death… Speed kills!” is the central point. It is a good message for our drivers who assume the streets to be car racing fields. But the thing is that the message was originally meant to be broadcast via television not through radio. I have watched a good video demonstration of this same announcement on television. To be clear, the script was originally prepared for television not for radio. But unfortunately, this same script is being aired through radio. Surprisingly we are being told to ‘watch’ how the driver drives using different speeds. In fact, the announcer said over the radio, “let’s watch what will happen when the vehicle is driven at different speeds…”. My point is how can a radio listener be supposed to watch through the radio what is being done? There are several other similar commercials originally meant for television but directly read over the radio without the scripts are retouched or modified. I usually listen to many of the news items that were transmitted through television and read by the national radio without any alteration done to them. Due attention have to be given by editors and senior reporters of the media outlets to such silly mistakes.
Now, let me say a few words regarding the differences and similarities between the two electronic mediums, radio and television. This will give some helpful pieces of information to those who are involved in the sector.
Speaking of similarities, I can say that television and radio are both electronic mediums. We use them to transmit signals through electromagnetic air waves. It is advised that the two media outlets should use simple and short sentences.
Television and radio have also major differences. Radio tells you what is happening. You don’t have any opportunity to watch the thing being told about. Television tells you and shows you what is happening. The audiences of the radio cannot watch the incidents like the audiences of television.
There is a possibility of presenting events over the radio as if the audiences are watching with naked eyes. What I am saying is that the journalist can use action words that enable the radio audiences to imagine or visualize what is being told. S/he can describe the scents, size, weight of the things by using select action words. Verbs (action words) are preferable for this purpose. Using many adjectives is not advised as they may not give chances for the audiences to visualize images. Thus, radio gives you more room for imagination. The radio scripts are made in such a way that they can describe incidents. The words you are using should enable the audiences to watch the incidents the radio is speaking about. You can’t address your radio audiences by saying ‘watch’. You rather make efforts to enable them to watch what you are saying through their ears. (yes, to enable them to watch through their ears.) The scripts written for television, however, are supposed to express incidents being watched on the screen.
At last I should propose an idea which can be taken as a possible solution for professional problems the media sector faces. Last Sunday I read a news item in a weekly private paper that seven local banks were fined for failing to train their respective workers. The training issue is a noteworthy point. I feel that others should draw lesson from this exemplary deed of providing refresher training for workers. The same opportunity should also be given to journalists who are working for both the state and private media. No need to tell bosses about the importance of equipping workers with refresher training.
By Haile-Gebriel Endeshaw
