Obama in Ethiopia: Minimum Service on the Sore Subject

Barack Obama made a visit to the Horn of Africa that was stamped from beginning to end with the seal of security.

Security of the illustrious guest came first, because when the most powerful man on the planet travels, it is with an impressive protective detail, and the cities he visits are under control practically to the point of being counterproductive in terms of image and communication. This was realized during his recent trip to Nairobi where, from the depths of joy, many railed against the debauchery of control measures on the part of American and Kenyan “gatekeepers.”

However, beyond the personal security of our “kinsman” Obama, there was discussion of the safety of an entire desperate subregion that is prey to the terrorist actions of al-Shabab, the Islamic horde that continues to sow death and destruction, particularly in Somalia. Meanwhile, the infamy of the unspeakable massacre of students at Garissa in Kenya is still felt, not to mention the painful memory of the attack against the American Embassy in Nairobi in 1998 and its 213 victims.

It is in this chaotic security situation that Barack Obama paid tribute to the Ethiopian military contingents that are fighting this Somali Salafist group and promised to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. and Ethiopia.

Certainly, his country is already involved in Somalia via drones, which are based in Ethiopia. However, he will have to provide more resources to crush the jihadi vermin. Otherwise, the illustrious guest’s beautiful promise will remain wishful thinking.

In the meantime, we must celebrate the fact that Obama discussed with his host, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, the sore subject of the state of civil liberties.

It is an understatement to say that Ethiopia is far from being an example when it comes to respecting human rights. But the American president simply called for “more democracy,” leaving all those who expected, if not an indictment of the current regime, at least a remake of the Accra speech, unsatisfied. Alas, he only provided minimum service to a country that has been led for the past 25 years by the same political coalition, which currently occupies 100 percent of the seats in the National Assembly.

Nonetheless, he at least had the courage to broach the subject, unlike some of his Western peers, who ignore it.

This is particularly true of our Gallic cousin, François Hollande, who, during his recent visit to Angola, came dressed as a salesman instead of as a defender of human rights.

At the start of his journey, which took him successively to Benin, Cameroon and Angola, the first being one of the best African students in the school of democracy, the tenant of the Elysée simply repeated the virtues of the rule of law. In the latter, [a republic that is] among the black sheep of good political governance, he withheld blame.

But we know, only too well, that democracy lessons of this world’s masters vary according to their economic and geostrategic interests.