Obama arrives in Ethiopia in first US Presidential visit
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
July 26, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – US President, Barack Obama, later on Sunday arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa in an official state visit after paying a visit in neighboring Kenya, his ancestral home.
During his two-day visit, Obama will hold talks with the Desalegn who also is chairperson of the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Sudan Tribune has learnt that discussions between the two leaders will focus on ways of boosting trade cooperation, improving democracy and good governance, security as well as counter-terrorism.
Obama’s visit to Ethiopia and Kenya is said to demonstrate the US government’s firm commitment to the battle against terrorism in the East African region.
President Obama will also meet his Ethiopian counterpart, Dr. Mulatu Tosheme and other senior government officials to discuss on ways how to change the relation ship from an aid recipient nation to a mutual benefiting trade relationship.
The US President has also come along with a US business delegation as part of the efforts to encourage trade and investment ties.
Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, told reporters that Obama – during his two day stay in Addis Ababa – would also address the African continent from the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
According to Mwencha, Obams will hold a bilateral meeting with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, and other officials of the continental bloc.
The political crisis in South Sudan is also among top on agenda for discussion during which Obama is expected to urge regional leaders to put an end to the ongoing conflict in the youngest nation which killed tens of thousands since it erupted in December 2013.
Diplomatic Sources said Obama will meet special envoys of IGAD, the regional bloc which is mediating peace negotiations between the two south Sudan warring factions.
The US is now part of the an IGAD plus mediation process which embraces the African Union, the UN, EU, China, the Troika (UK, US, Norway) as well as five African countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Chad, and Rwanda).
IGAD has given the two SPLM warring factions (South Sudan government and the opposition faction SPLM-IO) a document of the draft agreement to study the document until the 5th of August 2015.
The two parties will resume talks on the 6th of August and the final peace deal should be signed by the 17th August.
Obama is the first sitting US leader to visit Ethiopia and address the African Union.
Addis Ababa residents who went out to the street to welcome the president told Sudan Tribune that Obama’s visit to Ethiopia will have a significant input to the nation’s image building efforts.
The Ethiopian government said Obama’s visit is recognition to the country’s rapid economic growth and role in achieving peace and security in the region.
Government officials said his visit will significantly transform the over a century old existing bilateral relation ship of the two countries.
However his visit has drawn criticism from human rights groups and Ethiopian opposition groups who accuse the government of cracking down on dissent by arresting critical journalists and political opponents.
Obama is expected to raise issues related with human rights while in Ethiopia.
(ST)