Ethiopia and Horn of Africa Conference

The Sheraton National Hotel

900 South Orme street, Arlington, VA 22204
Phone:(703) 521-1900
Saturday May 9, 2015

Conference Schedule
9:00 -10:00

Registration

10:15 - 10:30 Opening Remarks

Dr. Assegid Habtewold, Conference program Coordinator
Welcoming Speech
Mr. Neamin Zeleke, Executive Director, ESAT
10:30 - Keynote address:
Breaking the Silence: Land Grab and Human Rights Violations in Ethiopia
Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of The Oakland Institute

11:00 12:45

Plenary Session

Moderator: Dr. Getachew Begashaw

Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa: Prospects for Democracy
Mr. Dave Peterson, Senior Director for Africa, National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Democracy: a Social Contract for United Action
Graham Peebles, Director , Create Trust Foundation, United Kingdom
1

Religious Freedom and the Dangers of The Ethiopian Government's Policy

Hajji Najib Mohammed, President of First Hijira Foundation
Democratizing the Ethiopian State
Dr. Daniel Teferra
12:45-2:00

Lunch Break

2:00-4:00

Concurrent Session [Ballroom I ]

Moderator: Mr. Dereje Desta, Editor- in- Chief, ZeEthiopia Newspaper

Renaissance Dam or an ICT Sector Change a Debate that TPLF never allowed
Mr. G.M. Gebre
State Sponsored Cyber Espionage: And its Negative Effects against the Struggle for Human
Rights and Freedom
Dr. Assegid Habtewold
ESAT: Breaking the information monopoly, Challanges, and success
Mr. Gizaw Legesse
2:00-4:00 Concurrent Session Panel II [Ballroom II ]
Moderator: Elizabeth Haile, Center for the Rights of Ethiopian Women (CREW)
Womens Organizations: concepts, issues, and advocacy
Dr. Maigenet Shifferraw, Center for the Rights of Ethiopian Women (CREW)
Gender equality for sustainable economic, social and political development
Tadella Fanta, Center for the Rights of Ethiopian Women
Eritrean women in Peace and Nation Building
Sophia Tesfamariam, Director, US Foundation for the Horn of Africa
2

4:00-4:30 Coffee Break

4:30-6:30 Plenary session
Moderator: Mr. Ephrem Madebo
Examining Non-traditional peace and security issues in the Horn of Africa
Dr. Getachew Metaferia
Eritrea and Ethiopia: Long-term Prospects for Building Durable Peace, Cooperation and
Integration in the Horn of Africa.
Mr. Elias Amare, Senior Fellow of the Peace Building Center of The Horn of Africa
Pastoralism and conflict in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
Dr. Yilkal Asfaw Woube
Eritrea's False Label as Sponsor of Terrorism:
Present Efforts to set the Record Straight
Professor Asmerom Legesse

Ethiopia and Horn of Africa Conference

The Holiday Inn, National Airport
2650 Jefferson Davis Highway Arlington, Virginia 22202
Sunday , May 10, 2015

Day two Conference Schedule

10:00 - 11:00 Registration
11:00- 1:30 Plenary Session I
Moderator: Mr. Sisay Agena, Managing Editor, ESAT
The Puzzle of EPRDF's Economic growth
Dr. Aklog Birrara
Turning Ethiopia's Misfortunes into an opportunity: A case for reconciliation and peace
Mr. Fekade Shewakena
The Second Republic: Rule of Law, Property Rights, Judicial Review and Ethnic Federalism in
the 1995 Constitution
Dr. Fitsum Achameleh Alemu
Ethiopia: The Last Post-Cold War Socialist Federation
Dr. Semahagn Gashe Abebe
Alternative to Kalashnikov Culture
Mr. Haile Ganoro Kelbiso

1:30-2:30 Lunch Break

2:30-4:30 Plenary Session II
Moderator: Mr. Neamin Zeleke
Inside and Out: EPRDF's track record of the past three elections.
Ermias Legesse Wakjira, former Deputy Minister of Communications
Election and Democracy under ethnocracy: Lessons and Precautions for the 2015 election in
Ethiopia.
Dr. Getachew Begashaw
Between Violent and Nonviolent Methods of Struggle: Ethiopias Political Dilemma
Dr. Mesay Kebede
Practical ideas to build trust and confidence among Democratic forces
Dr. Berhanu Nega

5:00 PM End of the Conference