Meskerem.net Website Review

'Somalia 'Sudan ' Sudan News Agency ' VOA' Radio Programs: Radio Erena  Efforts to float a trial balloon for greater closeness between Eritrea and Ethiopia by Ambas*ador Dina Mufti at his weekly press conference in Addis Ababa at the end of last month quickly crash-landed. Talking about Eritrea's Independence Day, 24 May, Mufti, who is spokesman for Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, 'Each and every Eritrean if asked would admit they don't celebrate the day they separated from Ethiopia. They don't like it.' Ethiopians felt the same, he claimed. Ethiopia and Eritrea are one people. 'Who would dislike it, if they are going to unite in a federation?' he asked, as he sang the praises of economic and infrastructural integration followed by political integration. 'It should be inevitable for all the countries of the region.' Barely were the words out of his mouth when a storm of condemnation broke from all sides. Eritrea is gearing up for its 30th anniversary as a nation and even the United States embas*y sprang to its defence, hailing its 'hard-won struggle for independence'. Eritrean embas*ies and diaspora groups joined the chorus as the ministry hastily retreated and the ambas*ador 'humbly apologised'. Yet this faux pas was certainly signed off by the Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, who is also Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's deputy. It betrays the de*per thinking at work in Addis Ababa and Asmara. This was simply a curtain-raiser that went wrong. Abiy and President Issayas Afewerki have already created the Horn of Africa Council of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia and are looking to get South Sudan to join. The idea is to replace the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the premier regional body, with another more directly under their control (AC Vol 62 No 5, Stirring the regional pot). One aspect of the unity idea is in de facto operation as Eritrean armed forces de*pen their pe*etration of Tigray and look set to remain (see Feature, Eritrea entrenches in Tigray). Abiy and Issayas are preparing a defence agreement under which Eritrean and Ethiopian