Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Meles' death will not destabilise region, says Ongeri


Meles' death will not destabilise region, says Ongeri

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Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri has said Kenya is confident Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's death will not affect regional stability August 22, 2012.
Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri has said Kenya is confident Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's death will not affect regional stability August 22, 2012.  NATION MEDIA GROUP
By AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Wednesday, August 22  2012 at  18:04
IN SUMMARY
  • Ongeri: Strong foundation left by the late Meles will enable Ethiopia to pull through.
  • Ethiopian leader died aged 57 on Tuesday in a Brussels hospital.
Kenya is confident Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's death will not affect regional stability.
Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri told reporters in Nairobi on Wednesday that that the “strong foundation” left by Mr Meles and the “shared security concerns” within and outside Nairobi and Addis Ababa will enable Ethiopia to pull through.
"I am confident that Ethiopia will maintain not only political stability, but also its remarkable economic growth rate,” he said.
"The excellent relations existing between Kenya and Ethiopia will continue to grow stronger under the new leadership in Ethiopia. I, therefore, do not expect any problems that would cause Kenya any apprehension,” he said.
“Within Ethiopia itself, he (late Meles) was instrumental in bringing about peace and rapid development following long-drawn devastating civil war coupled with natural calamities such as famine.”
The Ethiopian leader died aged 57 on Tuesday in a Brussels hospital following months-long speculation about his health.
The late Meles led the country for two decades, recording substantial economic growth but Amnesty International said his leadership had been punctuated with muzzled press, ethnic conflicts as well as poor human rights record.
On Tuesday, his former deputy Hailemariam Desalegn took over as the new Prime Minister.
In the region, the late Ethiopian PM had been instrumental in finding a solution to the war-torn Somalia.
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Until his death, the late Meles was the chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) which Prof Ongeri said had helped improve the political situation in Somalia.

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