BRIEFING ON HORN OF AFRICA

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BRIEFING ON HORN OF AFRICA

• Presentation by the
• Chief Directorate East Africa
• Amb LM Makhubela
• Chief Director East Africa
• 18 OCTOBER 2006

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Horn of Africa

• Country GDP(2005) GDP Growth
• Djibouti US708.3m 3.2
• Eritrea US1.003.2m 2.0
• Ethiopia US9.810.8m 8.9
• Somalia Official statistics unavailable
• The Sudan US29.6bn 8.0

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Horn of Africa

• Country Population Population (2005) Growth
• Djibouti 7 200 4.4
• Eritrea 4.4 m 3.0
• Ethiopia 77.9 m 2.3
• Somalia 11.3 m Not available
• The Sudan 36.2 m 1.9

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Characteristics of the Horn of Africa Region

• Conflict-stricken region (with the exception of
  Djibouti)
• Post-conflict reconstruction and development
• On-going peace talks (with the exception of
  Djibouti)
• Emerging democracies in Djibouti and Ethiopia
• Fledging economies
• High levels of poverty
• High degree of donor dependency

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LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE REGION

• There are two levels of engagement with the
  region, namely
• Peace , security, stability and democracy
• Socio-economic co-operation and development

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The Sudan

• Recent Developments
• North-South (Implementation of CPA)
• Slow progress
• North-South Boundaries,
• Recommendations of Abyei Boundaries Commission,
• Security Arrangements,
• Wealth sharing (oil revenue sharing)
• Challenges
• Widening gap and confidence between NCP and
  SPLM/A
• NCP lacks political will
• SPLM/A lacks capacity and political will
• Cessation threat
• Implementation to be affected by the negative
  political climate in the country GoS stance on
  Darfur
• Non-engagements by other Sudan political parties

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The Sudan (cont)

• Recent Developments
• Darfur
• Deterioration of security and humanitarian
  situation (banditry, attacks against civilians
  IDPs, hijack of humanitarian convoys)
• Slow implementation of DPA
• DPA divisive mechanism -- signatories vs
  non-signatories
• GoS refuse re-hatting of AMIS
• Militarisation of IDPs
• Challenges
• Non-signatories to DPA
• Divisions among non-signatories to DPA
• Re-hatting of AMIS
• Offensive by GoS against non-signatories

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The Sudan (cont)

• Recent Developments
• Eastern Sudan
• Signing of wealth sharing and security
  arrangements protocols
• Power sharing protocol to be signed
• Challenges
• Negotiations on Implementation Mechanism of peace
  agreement

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The Sudan (cont)

• South Africas Involvement
• Implementation of the Capacity and Institution
  Building Project (7 training programmes
  implemented, current training on Justice System)
• JBC
• Contributed military and civilian police
  personnel to AMIS in Darfur
• SA supports re-hatting of AMIS
• Development of a strategic framework for SAs
  assistance to CPA protagonists
• Chair of AU Committee on Post-conflict
  Reconstruction and Development on Sudan

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Somalia

• Recent Developments
• Success of second round of Khartoum peace talks
• Assassination attempt against President Yusuf
• Ethiopian troops took control of Bur Hagaba town
• UIC took control of Kismayo port, Jowher and
  Balad towns
• UIC declared Jihad against Ethiopia
• AU decision to deploy troops in Somalia (IGASOM)
• Request by Somali Prime Minister for partial
  lifting of arms embargo
• Challenges
• Conflict between TFG and UIC
• Ethiopian and alleged Eritrean involvement
• Development of National Reconciliation Strategy

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Somalia

• South Africas Involvement
• Interaction with Parties to the conflict in
  Somalia
• Interaction with other role-players
• Provide advise on developments
• Support AU decisions on Somalia

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Ethiopia and Eritrea

• Border Dispute
• Recent Developments
• Military situation in the Temporary Security Zone
  (TSZ) is stable but tense
• Continued training and maintenance activities by
  both Eritrea and Ethiopia in areas adjacent the
  TSZ
• Restrictions on UN Mission by Eritrea
• Detention of UN Mission LRPs and Volunteers by
  Eritrea
• UNMEE completed its reconfiguration plan (in
  compliance with UN Security Council Resolution
  1681 (2006))
• Opening and staffing of the Boundaries
  Commissions Field Office in Addis Ababa
• Restrictions on diplomats by Eritrea
• Growing political intolerance by Eritrea

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Ethiopia and Eritrea

• Border Dispute
• Challenges
• Impasse on the implementation of the Boundaries
  Commissions decision
• Refusal to attend meetings by Eritrea
• Restrictions on UNMEE impede Missions ability to
  effectively monitor the TSZ
• Defection by Ethiopian military personnel

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Ethiopia and Eritrea

• South Africas Involvement
• JMC with Ethiopia
• Contribution of troops to UNMEE
• Minister is the Presidents Special Envoy on
  Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Dispute
• Application for Humanitarian assistance for flood
  victims in Ethiopia

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Djibouti

• Recent Developments
• Official visit to Djibouti by Business Unit
• Engaged with counterparts to increase diplomatic
  interaction
• Initiated the process of finalising a general
  co-operation agreement with Djibouti
• Challenges
• Establish regular consultation and exchange of
  visits