Eritrea slams U.S. policy in the Horn of Africa
September 29, 2008 (UNITED NATIONS) – Eritrea’s foreign minister has accused today the United States of causing crisis around the world and particularly in the Horn of Africa region.
Osman Mohamed Saleh told the United Nations Assembly General that “The fingerprints of the sole superpower are discernible in most of the conflict situations that are raging in many parts of our globe with the deleterious economic, financial and humanitarian ramifications that they invariably entail.”
The minister who was speaking in the final day of the Assembly’s annual general debate accused the US of adopting a “management by crisis” approach, citing the ongoing Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict, the fighting and humanitarian suffering engulfing Somalia, troubles in Sudan and the recent border clashes between Djibouti and Eritrea as examples of where Washington had initiated or perpetuated troubles or blocked options for solution.
Saleh called for an international action to check the power of Washington. “The absence of countervailing forces in a unipolar world has only aggravated the situation. Principal among these is the weakness of the United Nations to pursue an independent line and act as a bulwark of robust multilateralism.” He said.
Also the minister blasted US support for its regional foe Ethiopia. “Ethiopia’s reckless acts of aggression continue to be supported by the United States,” said Osman Saleh.
Eritrea and Ethiopia have been feuding over their border since Eritrea gained independence in 1993. Ethiopia has refused to accept an independent boundary commission’s 2002 ruling awarding the key town of Badme to Eritrea.
He said that Ethiopia’s continuing “blatant occupation” of Eritrean territory. He added that Washington’s support for Ethiopia in that dispute and its backing of the Ethiopian “occupation” of Somalia was fomenting regional conflicts.
“The situation in the Horn of Africa may, indeed, spiral out of control unless these destabilizing practices are brought to an end,” Saleh said.
(ST)