Ethiopia says EU aid freeze “unacceptable”

By Abraham Fisseha

December 31, 2005

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University students have been playing a pivotal role in the nationwide protest against the 15-year-old regime which has resorted to militarism to cling to power.

ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – Ethiopia said on December 30 that a European Union move to freeze hundreds of millions of dollars in direct aid to the government over democracy concerns was “unacceptable” and urged the bloc to stick to prior commitments for the impoverished Horn of Africa nation.

Finance minister Sofian Ahmed said EU plans to re-program $375 million in budget support to non-governmental programmes without the consent of Addis Ababa would violate existing European obligations to Ethiopia.

“I was informed by our partners that they want to review the modalities of the delivery of the $375 million in direct budget support,” he said.

“I have made it clear to them that they have obligations and commitments they have given us before and there is no reason for them to bypass the commitments they have entered into with us,” Sofian said.

“Our aid partners have the right to review modalities of delivery but this must be done with the understanding of the government,” he said. “Any action outside of this commitment and agreement is totally unacceptable to Ethiopia under any circumstances.

“They have to live up to their commitments and agreements,” Sofian said, noting that the aid under review amounted to about 10 percent of the Ethiopian government’s annual budget.

His comments came a day after the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said it had frozen some aid to Ethiopia following a crackdown on opposition leaders and independent journalists amid eruptions of deadly violence during protests over disputed May elections.

“The European Commission and other donors have doubts that the necessary conditions are in place to go ahead with budget support,” said commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio, adding that the move’s immediate effect would be on $177 million slated for a major road project.

“Given the current instability … it doesn’t seem possible to go ahead,” he said in Brussels.

Western donors have become increasingly concerned about the political situation in Ethiopia since at least 85 people were killed, most by police, in violence that exploded in June and November during opposition protests against alleged ruling party fraud in the May 15 polls.

After the November clashes, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government detained thousands of people accused of fomenting violence and 131 opposition figures and journalists have been charged with treason and other crimes for allegedly plotting a coup d’etat.

Earlier this week, the group, which includes nearly the entire leadership of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), refused en masse to plead to the charges, complaining that they had been denied access to lawyers while in custody.

Meles has defended the prosecution of the opposition figures, alleging they were conspiring to overthrow his government by force after losing the elections that international observers had generally endorsed.

After lauding conduct on polling day, however, many monitors, including the influential EU observer mission, cited serious deficiencies in the handling of opposition fraud complaints.

The CUD won 109 seats in the 547-member parliament in the election but says it was robbed of victory by fraud, is boycotting the legislature and has urged a campaign of civil disobedience to press for new elections.