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<text> <title> The Horn of Africa: Country Updates </title> <article> <hdr> Foreign Policy Bulletin, May/June 1992 The Horn Of Africa: Country Updates </hdr> <body> Statement by Herman J. Cohen to the Subcommittee on Africa of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, March 19, 1992. Mr. Cohen is Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, for inviting me to speak with you about the developments in the countries of the Horn of Africa. The range of issues to be dealt with in the Horn run the gamut from drought, famine, and civil war to political reform, development, and democracy. In Ethiopia, the focus on war has changed to nation building and development. Leaders there are taking steps to open the system to greater participation by the people; the first local elections are to be held soon. We, for our part, are looking for ways to begin our assistance to that country. It will, however, be dependent on continued progress in human rights and democracy. As for Sudan, I wish I were the bearer of good news. Unfortunately, the regime in Khartoum appears bent on ignoring basic human rights and pursuing the military option in the south. One particularly egregious manifestation of the uncaring attitude of the government in Khartoum is its treatment of the hundreds of thousands of displaced in the capital. Sudanese authorities have been deaf to our entreaties to allow humanitarian relief to reach these people. In Somalia, the extent of the tragedy there grows daily. Perhaps 30,000 people have now been killed or wounded. Despite the obstacles, we continue to look for ways to stop the bloodshed and bring desperately needed humanitarian relief to the people of Somalia. The United Nations continues its efforts to achieve delivery of food and medicine. The Secretary-General has the support of the OAU [Organization of African Unity], the Arab League, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC]. The next step is to arrange for a U.N. technical team to work with all factions on the further mechanics of food distribution as well as a process leading to a durable cease-fire and an eventual political settlement. We have told the representatives of General Aideed and Ali Mahdi in blunt terms that they must stop the fighting and allow humanitarian relief to go forward. Let me address, in turn, the countries of the Horn in greater detail. Ethiopia. The transitional Government of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa is making headway confronting the challenge of constructing a new government from representatives of a number of wary political, ethnic, and religious groups. Based on the July 1991 charter, it is well into the process of restructuring a post-Marxist government administration, taking initial steps to rebuild the shattered economy and moving toward regional and national elections. Regional elections are currently planned for May. These elections will be the first free elections in Ethiopia's history. (On March 30, 1992, Department of State Spokesman Margaret Tutwiler issued a statement applauding "the decision of the Ethiopian Representative Council to arrange for all armed groups to be encamped during the election process for district and regional representatives" and calling "on all armed groups and the national military to comply with its letter and spirit. Appropriate observers are prepared to monitor the encampment of armed groups to ensure no side takes unilateral military or political advantage of the process. We also encourage all political forces to compete peacefully in the upcoming elections." The statement expressed concern about reports of violence "for the purpose of influencing political behavior" and offered U.S. technical assistance and monitors for the elections.) In the economic sphere, the council of representatives adopted an economic policy at the end of 1991 which goes a long way toward reducing the role of government and increasing the role of the private sector in the Ethiopian economy. The transitional government is now taking steps toward privatizing the transport sector and the 110 state-owned industries. However, revitalizing an economy devastated by seventeen years of war and a socialist dictatorship will require substantial financial and technical support from the international community. The Ethiopian Government recently concluded negotiations with the World Bank on a $630 million emergency recovery and reconstruction project, which the Bank board of executive directors is expected to approve in March. Negotiations with the World Bank and IMF have begun for structural adjustment support. Other potential donors are waiting to see what assistance the United States provides. Two legislative restrictions--[the] Brooke [amendment to the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act] and Section 812 of the International Cooperation and Development Act--prohibit us from providing bilateral development assistance to Ethiopia. If legislative restrictions are surmounted, any development assistance we provide will be dependent on continued progress on human rights and democracy. We are planning to direct our assistance to rebuilding infrastructure, restoring public services, reintegrating demobilized soldiers, and revitalizing the economy. The rapid restarting of economic activity, particularly agriculture, is essential to help the country move toward self-sufficiency and engage its long-suffering and displaced population in productive enterprises. Funds from the development fund for Africa would also be directed to assist the establishment of solid processes of democracy and governance, both regionally and nationally. American relief contributions for Ethiopia in food, disaster assistance, and refugee aid totaled nearly $183 million in FY 1991. Although the rains this year were good, we anticipate that humanitarian relief efforts will be needed for the next several years. Sudan Sudan suffers famine, massive displacements of people, a devastated economy, and serious human rights abuses. Many of these difficulties can be traced to the ongoing civil war which seems no closer to solution than ever. Neither side appears serious about negotiating, at least until the current dry season fighting is over. Nevertheless, we continue to support the OAU's effort to bring both sides to the negotiating table and are open to suggestions if both sides want us to help. The situation has recently become more complicated due to the split within the SPLA [Sudanese People's Liberation Army], which is largely along tribal lines. It is complicating relief efforts, presenting Khartoum with a pretext for not negotiating, and has caused terrible bloodshed and uprooting of peoples in the south. Human rights abuses in Sudan are a major concern for us. Since the middle of last year, the Sudanese Government has been forcibly relocating people who had settled in the Khartoum area after fleeing war and drought elsewhere in the country. They are being moved to inhospitable areas in the desert outside the city. To date, approximately 50,000 people have been forcibly relocated, sometimes at gunpoint. Essential services at the new sites are minimal to nonexistent. We and the rest of the international community have strongly protested these forced relocations and asked the Sudanese Government to at least suspend these movements of people until sites can be better prepared. Somalia Somalia is the most acute humanitarian tragedy in the world today. The fighting in Mogadishu--and deliberate targeting of ships trying to come in to port--has thwarted efforts to deliver relief supplies to Somalia's capital. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the fighting. Five hundred or more Somali refugees cross the Kenyan border every day. Thousands of Somalis have died already of starvation. Estimates of