The question for me would be in these tribes collection, the tribe of Somaliland is missing. An observer status is in order. Regardless how it ends confederation, federation or independence, Somaliland will be an entity in the Horn of Africa. Like Scotland to UK or Queec to Canada who have trade representatives separate from their countries in EU or Francophonie etc. If Somaliland is involved from beginning then what ever the conclusion of the question is can continue without any new start. The Government of Somalia would encourage this. Its good regardless how the Somaliland question is concluded. Tallaabo, Everything is Ethnic collection. Why do you think America, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand can easily organize something very quickly. These peoples have always interacted be it war for power or brotherhood for peace. Globalism is dead. The age of the tribes, age of Ethnics is in everywhere in the world. Same looks is very true, but it is not discriminating against others. Same looks have not saved us from war and self destruction. Actually we destroy each other the most.

But you need a platform to do all that you listed. You need a platform to negotiate. There are 3 countries already that do not need much negotiating Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. What you underestimated humbles you. That is how things have been moving "do not kill" has been the rule for some time now. Even Eritrea and Djibouti and Eritrea and Ethiopia your no kill condition has been in practice.

March 28, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The founding meeting of the Economic Community of the Horn of Africa (ECHA) will be held in Khartoum on 12 April, said Sudan’s State Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdallah Idriss On Wednesday, state minister at the presidency and director of the president’s offices Hatim Hassan Bakhit presided over the meeting of the ECHA’s coordination committee. Following the meeting, Idriss told reporters that the ECHA presidential summit would be preceded by the meeting of the experts from 9 to 10 April and foreign ministers meeting on 11 April. He pointed out that the ECHA which includes Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti aims to achieve political coordination and economic integration in areas of investment, trade and exchange of information and expertise. The Sudanese minister added the draft statute for the ECHA had been developed, saying President Omer al-Bashir has extended the invitations for his counterparts to attend the meeting. __________________________________________________ Unless Eritrea withdraws or not participate, this commission will be permanently in Sudan. Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia cannot host each other. As it stands these countries only communicate through Sudan anyway. I think Djibouti will try to lock port business. Djibouti will fight tooth and nail that Sudan does not expand the highway from Port Sudan to Ethiopia and also not provide Ethiopia with cheap less than cost port services and dry port.

Why not keep quiet. Nothing of this excercise is going to affect them materially or their power. Why stick your head for no new gain at all, but a lot to loose. Some of them are also so preoccupied with their own issues, this is very low priority or importnace for them.

Example of wrong wars of empty pride: The British Empire gathered about 250,000 soldiers a lot of ships (including French and Dominions and colonies army except Canada) and headed to attack Turkey, dislodge Turkey completely from the Beousphorus, and have open and clear sea way for Russia. Battles was waged called Galipolli. Churchill was mastermind and as chief of the whole venture. Canada told the British that this is meaningless nothing strategic and to cup it all "We are not coming", Canada did not participate. After a loss of almost 60, 000 and more than 100,000 wounded, injured etc the British had to withdraw to Egypt next safe place. For those of you in Australia and NewZeland this is what they celebrate/actually memorialize as ANZAC Day. It was so humiliating Winston Churchill was fired/resigned and is believed to have really picked up his drinking then and was unemployed and borrowing money or trying jiornalism again. On the other side was the man who became Atta Turk. He was not the main commander, but one of the commanders. Its there he knew the power of the soldier even when arms are not balanced. Sometimes countries, Empires, Kingdoms, Sultanates start the wrong wars, and causes ther decline and sometimes collapse. The Horn of Africa is full of such wars. Some of them which my friend galbeedi still admires and thinks were greatest wars. I am amazed when I discuss with Somalis from the republic and try to show them that the Adal sultanate ended as a result of the conquest of the Xabesha. The Xabeshi from now Eritrea went to Zeila, visited Harer the capital of the time and made sure, the Adal sultanate will never attempt again, never even think of attempting again. In 30 years went from peak to zero. The Adal sultanate was trying to piggy back on the Ottomans who had their mission which was economic conflict with Tigray about a gold mine a Turkish nobles owned and operated, but a Tigrean Shiek had expelled and taken over for his tribe. The Adal wanted to stop paying taxes to Xabeshi king and also the Xabeshi king using Zeila as his own and every decade or some years harrassing the Sulatanate. The Shiwa Amhara kingdom and Sulatante of Jima, both slave traders, were using Zeila and not wanting to share with Adal traders as middle men. Whether the war of 1977 killed Somalia or not is debatable. It almost killed Ethiopia, that is for sure. I am one who is convinced the 77/78 war killed Somalia, never recovered, just went from one problem to another, bad to worst. The people that were supposedly to be freed from Xabeshi colonialism were the most angry and most disappointed about the whole war.

galbeedi, Thank you. Anything about Ethiopia from Mogadishu is so predictable, that the only people who buy into this are the ones who will not speak truth or will not face the problems, real problems. Ethiopia has no effect what so ever what is happening in Mogadishu and both you and the XMP know it. One issue I cannot let go is the speaker and PM conflict. I know for a fact what the MP told is patently false and misdirection. The conflict is the Constitutional file, the main one and single most important issue between both of them. The constitution is transitional/temporary one. There is money that came for it to be reviewed and ratified. The PM has most of this money. He wants the constitutional commission work and file done under him, his close control. The speaker is arguing that constituion can not be monitored or controlled by Government. It can only be done with a body with closest to citizens Parliament, Elders, Senators..etc, but never government. Give the money to parliament or commission and hands of constitution work. If the government has too much hand in the constirution work, rest assured will be rejected by parliamentarians since the regions control constitutional votes and every region will have part of it nor agreeable. If this government expires the time for elections, it should be the one to blame. Both have different interest to frame in the constirution, but are both afraid to tell the issue. The MP either misled you or that is what you wanted to hear. This is what is going on. UAE, Ethiopia..all is relatively secondary issues.

Turkey also has also made a lot of problems for herself (As you said it was created by the Gullen people, but none the less Erdogan inherits it too): Turkey dealt with groups that do not serve her interest, but interest of Nato and Gulf Turkey at one point expected that Assad was going to go down and cut off all ite channels (One of the generals who was on Erdogan side during the crisis openly spoke that Turkey has to speak to Assad) Turkey at one point tried to undermine Iraq, because of Kirkuk and Turkey's dealing with KRG The free syrian army (turkey) is not as clean as you think. There are group and tribes in there that have vengence on both Arabs and Kurds. Turkey also is now trying to do a difficult dance between Nato and Russia, yet Turkey cannot act independently completely since memeber of NATO. With the S400 this is going to get worst. Turkey and Iran deal in civilized way, but are competitors in everything except Kurds issue. I root for Turkey to complete her objectives, but get out fast. If they stay it will be like America creating resentment for a long time to come from Syrians.

Once you have achieved greatness, its very easy to become great again, if you can survive the down times. China is coming back into being a superpower for 4th time in last 3000 years. Long way to go, not worth risking the house/hat on it for a decade or so. Che, Everything needs diversification, not running head on into this tag of war between different powers. This crypto currency shenanigan was supposed to protect the west and slow the East, but seems went the opposite and Anglo-American banks now have to join and destroy it, afraid the russians are way ahead on it.

galbeedi, One of the first news items being repeatedly shown and repeated in other semi-government media:Congratulation message from the Amir of Qatar

Not so fast. You always seem to be no brakes. Yes even an Oromo executive member said in an interview that Debretsion had told them that TPLF is not running and he personaly felt would be disrespecting Tigray since its only couple of months he was elected promising to fix the kilil and now to jump on federal appointment would not be right. I have put my conditions on what I would judge Abiy whether its a full genuine or wishy washy kind of election by the first actions taken. I add for visits: first three Khartoum, Djibouti, Mogadishu Then immediately after Nairobi, Uganda, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Japan, Korea If he visits Dubai, Cairo, Sudi Arabia, USA, Britain then victory is all yours. If it was Debretsion Israel would come 2nd group and even if it was Demeqe. In any case April 2 is not that far.

The Turks are going the chinese way with a twist. The Chinese have money of their own. The Turks have education and now Qatar money. They will move fast and will last longer. The students will be tomorrows governments in these countries. They have gone really far in Ethiopia. They are also very generous in technology transfer, one of the reasons they are favourite in Ethiopia. They have now taken over a sugar plant and farm in Amhara kilil.

Aidiid was closest to Ethiopia, contrary to the propaganda told to Somalis in Somalia. Mengistu/Derg documents were open and many ONLF folks have seen them. Aidiid was prepared to sign regarding border similar to what Barre signed with Kenya, no problem. That would have been not possible with Somaliland's or SSDF. Aidiid was also too much of a chauvinist. In one conversation with an Ethiopian, he spoke of Somalis puting them in dfiferent levels. What he did not realize was that the Ethiopian guy came from a nationality that was looked down and discriminated during haileslassie days.

What is the weight or size of British in Somaliland? Is it true Djibouti has biggest presence there?

Its amazing what petro dollar can do. From America to some remote villages in Africa and Asia these Saudis built everything to have long term stay. But is already falling apart. Syria and Iraq did the damage to them. On the other hand they were failure in East Africa. Especially where Islam is really old religion. Sudan not much actually there are some big time Imams and Ulema who declared Wahabi as not Islam. Bashir was in some trouble over this. Most of them are his oponents, but one of them was close to him and a friend. Ethiopia very little with Oromo and extremely small in Somali kilil the rest did not succeed. Djibouti similar to Ethiopia Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania have had some success. Not a good idea for Somalia to start or do anything with the Saudis, just file things and write some books for now.

This French who have totally become water boys for America, are rude, crude, cruel and pompous. Them and Britain are the dirty job workers in Syria. Somebody need to teach them to respect themselves. Go ahead Erdogan, but becareful these snakes will try to embarass you by giving weapons to your opponents. They can try to get you be looked as loser by shooting down your aircraft, lots of soldiers getting killed or tanks burned to disappoint the trukish people against you.

galbeedi, That is the case with computer age. Anybody can manufacture any document in what ever colours or shape. Demeqe Mekonen was not running that was known since they all agreed he will be V chairman and no voting was done for vice-chairman Debretsion was not running and neither he nor the others know why he got two votes, but two members voted for him for some reason. The voting was between Abiy and Shiferaw. The Amhara did not get unanimity to suport Demeqe and if you do not have unanimity within your own party is difficult to run for the front, thus the meeting was told that Amhara is not competing for Chairmanship. I am not sure what is being tried by all this, but for what its worth that is what happened. Are you now telling me that the Tigray did not know when the vote was done, who the candidates were etc. Let it be. We will see in short order what happens how business is conducted, then you will know or at least have good guess what may have happened.

It is located in Benishangul Gumuz not in Amhara. Dahireeto, Not only important, but critical. Can you imagine what a 6.5GW will mean to Ethiopia. There is a lot of industries waiting on desks for power. One cannot build a country without local steel industry. Turkey and Russia are willing to give the whole technology and industrial know how, but you need reliable power. It will also increase the connection and inerdependence between Sudan, Kenya, Djibuti to Ethiopia. Last but not least there is deep and very long "bad blood" with Egypt. The Amhara are chicken with Egypt so scared of Egypt. The only people fought Egypt through millenia and centuries were the Afar Agew Tigray. The Egyptians tried everything in 27 years non stop, but were defeated every step they took. Diplomatically are now out of East Africa.

I hate to disappoint you, but the guy will have as his assignment from UAE, America, Britain and unlike the Tigray he will not buy time or beat around the bush to delay or misdirect UAE. They are prepared to outspend Qatar in Ethiopia. The Saudi are also big in Ethiopia, they can buy Tigray by releasing Al Amoudi. So on that front UAE has more leaning on his shoulders. His first test will be Djibouti and GERD.

One advantage the Tigray have to others is no enemy both historical or modern day money bought societies immediate neighbor. Eritrea better be good for herself and continue the statusquo no war. They have Ethnics in Tigray kilil, but except for one, the Kunama everyone else is blood kin regardless of religion or language. About half of Amhara kilil is also Tigray friendly historically and at this time. No religious problem even in past 100 years where Moslems were second class in Ethiopia. King Haileslassie for a single minute even by mistake never said Ethiopian Moslems. Was always Moslems in Ethiopia like refugee or subjugated or brought for work. Where as in Tigray it was always Moslem Tigreans or Tigrean Moslems. You can observe in todays Ethiopia the participation of Moslems in this government was just vertical just took off. They also happen to have longest, sedentary, organized with laws and rules based, written past. Some times that is hindrance, but mostly is an asset. Abiy Ahmed can do a lot of changes positive, but if he is shakey on the following even a coup and next crisis is possible: 1. GERD and Egypt 2. Sudan 3. Djibouti and China (I am afraid this may be in Americas, UAE, Saudi and back home HOA Somaliland - to do list for him) As for Somalia, if Ethioia does what is best interest of kilil economic, security, development..that is satisfactory.

Djibouti has taken control of everything period. What ever DP could win is only money, no control. What ever Djibouti uses, its own company, hired management company etc are not shareholders, its only management. The only legal recourse DP has is be compensated what ever investment it had not recovered yet. Remember the outfit was profitable. DP can claim lost profit, but that is now failed road. TPPs Globalism was supposed to be private companies telling governments. That has failed now everything is moving the other direction. BTW the plan that Eritrea would stirr trouble and make Djibouti look unstable, is desd on arrival. The Ethiopians have told UAE the day something is done to destabilize Djibouti, Ethiopia will not send soldiers to Djibouti. Instead will be in Asmara from west in Sudan and from Ethiopia.

Memebers of Federal Parliament and even senators will fight this one tooth and nail and now with forks. One man one vote means they have to atleast do more walking, more driving, more talking to "lesser" non clan connected folks...Its like American senators and congress passing election act to eliminate all the loopholes currently in use. They will even try to impeach him, if they cannot find issue to delay the constitutional file.

Here we go, some American group trying to empty the Bedewin coffers. Some American group is friendly and sells them weapons Another group is qasi enemy and gets paid money on human rights and image making

Oodweyne, I absolutely understand that. I clearly remember that when Yey was to go to Mogadishu Puntland and Ethiopian soldiers were not to enter Mogadishu. It can get that extreme. The most repeated propaganda was also that Puntland soldiers coming back for retribution/vengence of 1991. Its just you have not looked the other side. The place of Puntland in Somalia right now should be the highest. Puntland is to Somaliland same as Afar-Tigray were to Eritrea. Ethiopian governments not only ignored but also worked against the Ethiopian Afar-Agew-Tigray. When these three said stop this war no need to fight to grave, let them go, it was all over in an Addis Ababa minute. It was the dumbest thing Ethiopia did, wanting to keep Eritrea but steping on, ignoring, even killing the peoples nearest to Eritrea.

I guess you read too much Amhara shenanigan. FYI they do say many things that they themselves do not believe. If I were you would take them with some grain of salt. Tigray is more smarter than you think. Access to the sea is not a priority and no one spends their energy or time on something that is not priority. If you are concerned about Eritrea, which I see from some of your comments, Eritrea is good for herself. They will do it themselves good or bad. Tigray will not need to spend time or energy on that. Again what is your contribution to the topic other than Tigray. I know for good or bad Tigray has been and still is topic in East Africa, but more so in Ethiopia and Somalia than say Sudan, where Tigray has more interaction.

Swallowed Kilil yes and also lot in West and south that was rich in coffee, manpower as well Sold Eritrea and Djibouti for exchanged money, guns and other gifts Abondoned not on east side, but west side. Most is now on East Sudan provinces. There was and still is most strategic of towns called Kassala. It was a province of Axum until Menelik abondoned it afraid of Egyptians and later Europeans. When the British and Italians found out how startegic it is, they fought over it.