Commentary On the “EVALUATING U.S. POLICY OPTIONS ON THE HORN OF AFRICA” hearing

Aigaforum 03/11/08:- The US Senate Foreign Relation has held a public hearing on the Horn of Africa. The theme of the hearing was Security on the Horn of Africa. There were panelists from the Bush administration, amnesty international and other well known experts of the horn.

Unlike the Donald Payne house hearing of yesteryears which was not only filled by ill prepared and third rate experts this hearing was well read and listened too. There was no foul language or street talk that most people were accustomed during the Donald Payne hearing of last year.

Officials from the Pentagon, USAID and State Dept articulated their policy and guideline on the Horn and especially on Somalia and humanitarian assistance. They all insisted they are making head ways in the fight against poverty in Ethiopia. In the case of Somalia the officials have high hope with the TFG and the new prime minister. They all agreed the challenges are great but there is hope. In the case of Eritrea the officials testified that Eritrea has been the problem state for Horn peace. The Eritrea government has been arming and planting insurgents against Ethiopia and supporting Somali oppositions who are aligned with Al-Qaeda.

The other panelist who was experts in Horn politics testified that the US can influence regional governments but in the case of Eritrea it has little success so far. The government of Eritrea and Ethiopia will only change if they think change is good for their and their country interest. One expert told the Senators Eritrea is the moist repressive with no parallel at all in all sub Sahara Africa. The expert suggests Ethiopia should be encouraged to release more political prisoners and to allow full access to Ogaden region.

All in all the hearing was a much need change for most. The Horn of Africa has been ridiculed and ill represented by the House Sub Committee led by Donald Payne. Unlike Donald Payne hearing that was not only ugly to watch but also uninformative this hearing was much better informative and civil and cordial.

 It goes with out saying the US Congress was not at all served by Donald Payne but with this hearing the US congress may have started to recover its damaged image in the eyes of the Horn people. The beginning is much promising

Note::-No where in the hearing was HR2003 mentioned or the extreme Diaspora agenda mentioned!