Ethiopia

Compiled from the November 2007 Background Note and supplemented with additional information from the State Department and the editors of this volume. See the introduction to this set for explanatory notes.

Official Name:

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 1.1 million sq. km (472,000 sq. mi.); about the size of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico combined.

Cities: Capital—Addis Ababa (pop. 5 million). Other cities—Dire Dawa (237,000), Nazret (189,000), Gondar (163,000), Dessie (142,000), Mekelle (141,000), Bahir Dar (140,000), Jimma (132,000), Awassa (104,000).

Terrain: High plateau, mountains, dry lowland plains.

Climate: Temperate in the highlands; hot in the lowlands.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective—Ethiopian(s).

Population: (2006 est.) 77 million.

Annual growth rate: 2.7%.

Ethnic groups: (est.) Oromo 40%, Amhara 25%, Tigre 7%, Somali 6%, Sidama 9%, Gurage 2%, Wolaita 4%, Afar 4%, other nationalities 3%.

Religions: (est.) Ethiopian Orthodox Christian 40%, Sunni Muslim 45–50%, Protestant 5%, remainder indigenous beliefs.

Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Arabic, Guaragigna, Oromigna, English, Somali.

Education: Years compulsory—none. Attendance (elementary) 57%. Literacy—43%.

Health: Infant mortality rate—93/ 1,000 live births.

Work force: Agriculture—80%. Industry and commerce—20%.

Government

Type: Federal Republic.

Constitution: Ratified 1994.

Government branches: Executive—president, Council of State, Council of Ministers. Executive power resides with the prime minister. Legislative—bicameral parliament. Judicial—divided into Federal and Regional Courts.

Political subdivisions: 9 regions and 2 special city administrations: Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.

Political parties: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP), the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), and other small parties.

Suffrage: Universal starting at age 18.

Budget: (2006 est.) $3.4 billion.

Defense: $348 million (5.6% of GDP FY 2003).

National holidays: May 28.

Economy

Real GDP: (2006 est.) $13.3 billion.

Annual growth rate: (2006 est.) 9.6%.

Per capita income: (2006 est.) $130.

Average inflation rate: (2006 est.) 13%.

Natural resources: Potash, salt, gold, copper, platinum, natural gas (unexploited).

Agriculture: (47% of GDP) Products—coffee, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, khat, meat, hides and skins. Cultivated land—17%.

Industry: (12% of GDP) Types—textiles, processed foods, construction, cement, and hydroelectric power.

Trade: (2006 est.) Exports—$1.1 billion. Imports—$4.1 billion; plus remittances—official est. $400 million; unofficial est. $400 million.

Fiscal year: July 8-July 7.

GEOGRAPHY

Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered on the north and northeast by Eritrea, on the east by Djibouti and Somalia, on the south by Kenya, and on the west and southwest by Sudan. The country has a high central plateau that varies from 1,800 to 3,000 meters (6,000 ft.-10,000 ft.) above sea level, with some mountains reaching 4,620 meters (15,158 ft.). Elevation is generally highest just before the point of descent to the Great Rift Valley, which splits the plateau diagonally. A number of rivers cross the plateau–notably the Blue Nile flowing from Lake Tana. The plateau gradually slopes to the lowlands of the Sudan on the west and the Somali-inhabited plains to the southe

The climate is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. At Addis Ababa, which ranges from 2,200 to 2,600 meters (7,000 ft.-8,500 ft.), maximum temperature is 26o C (80o F) and minimum 4o C (40o F). The weather is usually sunny and dry with the short (belg) rains occurring February-April and the big (meher) rains beginning in mid-June and ending in mid-September.

PEOPLE

Ethiopia's population is highly diverse. Most of its people speak a Semitic or Cushitic language. The Oromo, Amhara, and Tigreans make up more than three-fourths of the population, but there are more than 77 different ethnic groups with their own distinct languages within Ethiopia. Some of these have as few as 10,000 members. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional African religions tend to inhabit lowland regions. English is the most widely spoken foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools. Amharic is the official language and was the language of primary school instruction but has been replaced in many areas by local languages such as Oromifa and Tigrinya.

HISTORY

Ethiopia is credited with being the origin of mankind. Bones discovered in eastern Ethiopia date back 3.2 million years. Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world. Herodotus, the Greek historian of the fifth century B.C. describes ancient Ethiopia in his writings. The Old Testament of the Bible records the Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem. According to legend, Menelik I, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, founded the Ethiopian Empire. Missionaries from Egypt and Syria introduced Christianity in the fourth century A.D. Following the rise of Islam in the seventh century, Ethiopia was gradually cut off from European Christendom. The Portuguese established contact with Ethiopia in 1493, primarily to strengthen their influence over the Indian Ocean and to convert Ethiopia to Roman Catholicism. There followed a century of conflict between pro-and anti-Catholic factions, resulting in the expulsion of all foreign missionaries in the 1630s. This period of bitter religious conflict contributed to hostility toward foreign Christians and Europeans, which persisted into the 20th century and was a factor in Ethiopia's isolation until the mid-19th century.

Under the Emperors Theodore II (1855–68), Johannes IV (1872–89), and Menelik II (1889–1913), the kingdom was consolidated and began to emerge from its medieval isolation. When Menelik II died, his grandson, Lij Iyassu, succeeded to the throne but soon lost support because of his Muslim ties. The Christian nobility deposed him in 1916, and Menelik's daughter, Zewditu, was made empress. Her cousin, Ras Tafari Makonnen (1892–1975), was made regent and successor to the throne. In 1930, after the empress died, the regent, adopting the throne name Haile Selassie, was crowned emperor. His reign was interrupted in 1936 when Italian Fascist forces invaded and occupied Ethiopia. The emperor was forced into exile in England despite his plea to the League of Nations for intervention. Five years later, British and Ethiopian forces defeated the Italians, and the emperor returned to the throne.

After a period of civil unrest, which began in February 1974, the aging Haile Selassie I was deposed on September 12, 1974, and a provisional administrative council of soldiers, known as the Derg (“committee”) seized power from the emperor and installed a government, which was socialist in name and military in style. The Derg summarily executed 59 members of the royal family and ministers and generals of the emperor's government; Emperor Haile Selassie was strangled in the basement of his palace on August 22, 1975.

Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam assumed power as head of state and Derg chairman, after having his two predecessors killed. Mengistu's years in office were marked by a totalitarian-style government and the country's massive militarization, financed by the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, and assisted by Cuba. From 1977 through early 1978 thousands of suspected enemies of the Derg were tortured and/or killed in a purge called the “red terror.” Communism was officially adopted during the late 1970s and early 1980s with the promulgation of a Soviet-style constitution, Politburo, and the creation of the Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE).

In December 1976, an Ethiopian delegation in Moscow signed a military assistance agreement with the Soviet Union. The following April, Ethiopia abrogated its military assistance agreement with the United States and expelled the American military missions. In July 1977, sensing the disarray in Ethiopia, Somalia attacked across the Ogaden Desert in pursuit of its irredentist claims to the ethnic Somali areas of Ethiopia. Ethiopian forces were driven back deep inside their own frontier but, with the assistance of a massive Soviet airlift of arms and Cuban combat forces, they stemmed the attack. The major Somali regular units were forced out of the Ogaden in March 1978. Twenty years later, development in the Somali region of Ethiopia lagged.

The Derg's collapse was hastened by droughts and famine, as well as by insurrections, particularly in the northern regions of Tigray and Eritrea. In 1989, the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) merged with other ethnically based opposition movements to form the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). In May 1991, EPRDF forces advanced on Addis Ababa. Mengistu fled the country for asylum in Zimbabwe, where he still resides. In July 1991, the EPRDF, the

Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and others established the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE) which was comprised of an 87-member Council of Representatives and guided by a national charter that functioned as a transitional constitution. In June 1992 the OLF withdrew from the government; in March 1993, members of the Southern Ethiopia Peoples' Democratic Coalition left the government. In May 1991, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), led by Isaias Afwerki, assumed control of Eritrea and established a provisional government. This provisional government independently administered Eritrea until April 23-25, 1993, when Eritreans voted overwhelmingly for independence in a UN-monitored free and fair referendum. Eritrea was with Ethiopia's consent declared independent on April 27, and the United States recognized its independence on April 28, 1993.

In Ethiopia, President Meles Zenawi and members of the TGE pledged to oversee the formation of a multiparty democracy. The election for a 547-member constituent assembly was held in June 1994, and this assembly adopted the constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in December 1994. The elections for Ethiopia's first popularly chosen national parliament and regional legislatures were held in May and June 1995. Most opposition parties chose to boycott these elections, ensuring a landslide victory for the EPRDF. International and nongovernmental observers concluded that opposition parties would have been able to participate had they chosen to do so. The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was installed in August 1995.

In May 1998, Eritrean forces attacked part of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border region, seizing some Ethiopian-controlled territory. The strike spurred a two-year war between the neighboring states that cost over 100,000 lives. Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders signed an Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities on June 18, 2000 and a peace agreement, known as the Algiers Agreement, on December 12, 2000.

The agreements called for an end to the hostilities, a 25-kilometer-wide Temporary Security Zone along the Ethiopia-Eritrea border, the establishment of a United Nations peace-keeping force to monitor compliance, and the establishment of the Ethiopia Eritrea Boundary Commission (EEBC) to act as a neutral body to assess colonial treaties and applicable international law in order to render final and binding border delimitation and demarcation determinations. The United Nations Mission to Eritrea and Ethiopia (UNMEE) was established in September 2000. The EEBC presented its border delimitation decision on April 13, 2002. To date, neither Ethiopia nor Eritrea has taken the steps necessary to enable the EEBC to demarcate the border.

Opposition candidates won 12 seats in national parliamentary elections in 2001. Ethiopia held the most free and fair national campaign period in the country's history prior to May 15, 2005 elections. Unfortunately, electoral irregularities and tense campaign rhetoric resulted in a protracted election complaints review process. Public protests turned violent in June 2005. The National Electoral Board released final results in September 2005, with the opposition taking over 170 of the 547 parliamentary seats and 137 of the 138 seats for the Addis Ababa municipal council. Opposition parties called for a boycott of parliament and civil disobedience to protest the election results.

In early November 2005, Ethiopian security forces responded to public protests by arresting scores of opposition leaders, as well as journalists and human rights advocates, and detaining tens of thousands of civilians in rural detention camps for up to three months. In December 2005, the government charged 131 opposition, media, and civil society leaders with capital offenses including “outrages against the constitution. Thirty-eight opposition leaders and journalists were convicted in June 2007. Approximately 150 of the elected opposition members of parliament have taken their seats. Ruling and opposition parties have engaged in a process of dialogue to address issues of democratic governance raised by the 2005 elections, including parliamentary rules of procedure, media regulation, and reform of the National Electoral Board.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

Ethiopia is a federal republic under the 1994 constitution. The executive branch includes a president, Council of State, and Council of Ministers. Executive power resides with the prime minister. There is a bicameral parliament; national legislative elections were held in 2005. The judicial branch comprises federal and regional courts.

Political parties include the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), and other small parties. Suffrage is universal at age 18.

In 2003, Ethiopia continued its transition from a unitary to a federal system of government. The EPRDF-led government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has promoted a policy of ethnic federalism, devolving significant powers to regional, ethnically based authorities.

Ethiopia today has 9 semi-autonomous administrative regions and two special city administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa), which have the power to raise their own revenues. Under the present government, Ethiopians enjoy wider, albeit circumscribed, political freedom than ever before in Ethiopia's history.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 2/1/2008

President: GIRMA Woldegiorgis

Prime Minister: MELES Zenawi

Dep. Prime Min.: ADDISU Legesse

Dep. Prime Min.: KASSU Ilala

Min. of Agriculture & Rural Development: ADDISU Legesse

Vice Min. of Agriculture & Rural Development: BELAY Ejigu

Vice Min. of Agriculture & Rural Development: GETACHEW Teklemedhin

Vice Min. of Agriculture & Rural Development: TEKALIGN Mamo

Min. of Cabinet Affairs: BERHANU Adelo

Min. of Capacity Building: TEFERA Walwa

Min. of Culture & Tourism: MOHAMOUD Dirir

Min. of Defense: KUMA Demeksa

Min. of Education: SNTAYEHU Weldemikael

Min. of Energy & Mines: ALEMAYEHU Tegenu

Min. of Federal Affairs: SIRAJ Fegisa

Min. of Finance & Economic Development: SUFIAN Ahmed

Min. of Foreign Affairs: SEYOUM Mesfin

Min. of Health: TEWODROS Adhanom

Min. of Information: BERHAN Hailu

Min. of Justice: ASEFA Kesito

Min. of Labor & Social Affairs: HASSAN Abdella

Min. of Revenue Collection: MELAKU Fenta

Min. of Trade & Industry: GIRMA Birru

Min. of Transport & Communications: JUNEDIN Sado

Min. of Water Resources: ASFAW Dingamo

Min. of Women's Affairs: HIRUT Dilebo

Min. of Works & Urban Development: KASSU Ilala

Min. of Youth & Sports: ASTER Mamo

Governor, National Bank: TEKLEWOLD Atnafu

Ambassador to the US: Samuel ASSEFA

Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: DAWIT Yohannes

Ethiopia maintains an embassy in the U.S. at 3506 International Drive, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-364-1200) headed by Ambassador Samuel Assefa. It also maintains a UN mission in New York and consulates in Los Angeles, Seattle (honorary), and Houston (honorary).

ECONOMY

The current government has embarked on a cautious program of economic reform, including privatization of state enterprises and rationalization of government regulation. While the process is still ongoing, so far the reforms have attracted only meager foreign investment, and the government remains heavily involved in the economy.

The Ethiopian economy is based on agriculture, which contributes 47% to GNP and more than 80% of exports, and employs 85% of the population. The major agricultural export crop is coffee, providing 35% of Ethiopia's foreign exchange earnings, down from 65% a decade ago because of the slump in coffee prices since the mid-1990s. Other traditional major agricultural exports are hides and skins, pulses, oilseeds, and the traditional “khat,” a leafy shrub that has psychotropic qualities when chewed. Sugar and gold production has also become important in recent years. Ethiopia's agriculture is plagued by periodic drought, soil degradation caused by inappropriate agricultural practices and overgrazing, deforestation, high population density, undeveloped water resources, and poor transport infrastructure, making it difficult and expensive to get goods to market. Yet agriculture is the country's most promising resource. Potential exists for self-sufficiency in grains and for export development in livestock, flowers, grains, oilseeds, sugar, vegetables, and fruits.

Gold, marble, limestone, and small amounts of tantalum are mined in Ethiopia. Other resources with potential for commercial development include large potash deposits, natural gas, iron ore, and possibly oil and geothermal energy. Although Ethiopia has good hydroelectric resources, which power most of its manufacturing sector, it is totally dependent on imports for its oil. A landlocked country, Ethiopia has relied on the port of Djibouti since the 1998–2000 border war with Eritrea. Ethiopia is connected with the port of Djibouti by road and rail for international trade. Of the 23,812 kilometers of all-weather roads in Ethiopia, 15% are asphalt. Mountainous terrain and the lack of good roads and sufficient vehicles make land transportation difficult and expensive.

However, the government-owned air-line's reputation is excellent. Ethiopian Airlines serves 38 domestic airfields and has 42 international destinations.

Dependent on a few vulnerable crops for its foreign exchange earnings and reliant on imported oil, Ethiopia lacks sufficient foreign exchange earnings. The financially conservative government has taken measures to solve this problem, including stringent import controls and sharply reduced subsidies on retail gasoline prices. Nevertheless, the largely subsistence economy is incapable of meeting the budget requirements for drought relief, an ambitious development plan, and indispensable imports such as oil. The gap has largely been covered through foreign assistance inflows.

DEFENSE

The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) numbers about 200,000 personnel, which makes it one of the largest militaries in Africa. During the 1998–2000 border war with Eritrea, the ENDF mobilized strength reached approximately 350,000. Since the end of the war, some 150,000 soldiers have been demobilized. The ENDF continues a transition from its roots as a guerrilla army to an all-volunteer professional military organization with the aid of the U.S. and other countries. Training in peacekeeping operations, professional military education, military training management, counter-terrorism operations, and military medicine are among the major programs sponsored by the United States. Ethiopia now has one peacekeeping contingent in Liberia.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Ethiopia was relatively isolated from major movements of world politics until Italian invasions in 1895 and 1935. Since World War II, it has played an active role in world and African affairs. Ethiopia was a charter member of the United Nations and took part in UN operations in Korea in 1951 and the Congo in 1960. Former Emperor Haile Selassie was a founder of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now known as the African Union (AU). Addis Ababa also hosts the UN Economic Commission for Africa. Ethiopia is also a member of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a Horn of Africa regional grouping.

Although nominally a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, after the 1974 revolution, Ethiopia moved into a close relationship with the Soviet Union and its allies and supported their international policies and positions until the change of government in 1991. Today, Ethiopia has very good relations with the United States and the West, especially in responding to regional instability and supporting war on terrorism and, increasingly, through economic involvement.

Ethiopia's relations with Eritrea remained tense and unresolved. Following a brutal 1998–2000 border war in which tens of thousands died on both sides, the two countries signed a peace agreement in December 2000. A five-member independent international commission—Eritrean Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC)— issued a decision in April 2002 and follow-up observations in March 2003 delimiting the border between the two countries, but thus far the parties have not agreed to final demarcation. The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) peacekeeping mission patrols a 25-kilometer-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) within Eritrea separating the two countries; a few minor incidents of violence have occurred, all between local villagers and militia or armed opposition groups supported by the other side. Both countries insist they will not instigate fighting, but both also remain prepared for any eventuality. Regarding its neighbor Somalia, the lack of central government and factional fighting in Somalia contributes to tensions along the boundaries of the two countries. Ethiopia has recently entered into a loose tripartite (nonmilitary) cooperation with Sudan and Yemen.

The irredentist claims of the extremist-controlled Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) in Somalia in 2006 posed a legitimate security threat to Ethiopia and to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia. In December 2006, the TFG requested the assistance of the Ethiopian military to respond to the CIC's aggression. Within a few weeks, the joint Ethiopian-TFG forces routed the CIC from Somalia, and the deployment of the African Union's Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in March 2007 began to provide security in Mogadishu to allow for the quick withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia.

U.S.-ETHIOPIA RELATIONS

U.S.-Ethiopian relations were established in 1903 and were good throughout the period prior to the Italian occupation in 1935. After World War II, these ties strengthened on the basis of a September 1951 treaty of amity and economic relations. In 1953, two agreements were signed: a mutual defense assistance agreement, under which the United States agreed to furnish military equipment and training, and an accord regularizing the operations of a U.S. communication facility at Asmara.

Through fiscal year 1978, the United States provided Ethiopia with $282 million in military assistance and $366 million in economic assistance in agriculture, education, public health, and transportation. A Peace Corps program emphasized education, and U.S. Information Service educational and cultural exchanges were numerous.

After Ethiopia's revolution, the bilateral relationship began to cool due to the Derg's linking with international communism and U.S. revulsion at the Derg's human rights abuses. The United States rebuffed Ethiopia's request for increased military assistance to intensify its fight against the Eritrean secessionist movement and to repel the Somali invasion. The International Security and Development Act of 1985 prohibited all U.S. economic assistance to Ethiopia with the exception of humanitarian disaster and emergency relief. In July 1980, the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia was recalled at the request of the Ethiopian Government, and the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Embassy in the United States were headed by Charges d'Affaires.

With the downfall of the Mengistu regime, U.S.-Ethiopian relations improved dramatically. Legislative restrictions on assistance to Ethiopia other than humanitarian assistance were lifted. Diplomatic relations were upgraded to the ambassadorial level in 1992. Total U.S. government assistance, including food aid, between 1991 and 2003 was $2.3 billion. During the severe drought year of FY 2003, the U.S. provided a record $553.1 million in assistance, of which $471.7 million was food aid.

Today, Ethiopia is a strategic partner of the United States in the Global War on Terrorism. U.S. development assistance to Ethiopia is focused on reducing famine vulnerability, hunger, and poverty and emphasizes economic, governance, and social sector policy reforms. Some military training funds, including training in such issues as the laws of war and observance of human rights, also are provided.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

Last Updated: 2/19/2008

ADDIS ABABA (E) 14 Entoto Rd, Addis Ababa, (251-11) 517-4000, Fax (251-11) 517-4888, INMARSAT Tel 00871761258488, Workweek: Mon-Th 0745-1730, Fri 0745-1145, Website: http://ethiopia.usembassy.gov.

US MISSION TO AFRICAN UNION (M) 14 Entoto Rd, Addis Ababa, (251-11) 517-4000, Workweek: Mo-Th 0745 -1730, Fr 0745-1145.

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet

June 11, 2007

Country Description: The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a developing country in East Africa, and is comprised of nine states and two city administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa). The capital is Addis Ababa. Tourism facilities can be found in the most populous regions of Ethiopia, but infrastructure is basic. National elections held in May 2005, returned the ruling EPRDF party and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to power. Although the opposition gained a significant number of seats in Parliament, some of its leaders rejected the results and called for civil disobedience. Disturbances followed in a number of cities including Addis Ababa. Leaders of the major opposition party as well as leaders of civil society were detained and are currently standing trial. The majority of the opposition have taken their seats in Parliament and initiated dialogue with the government.

Entry Requirements: It is not advisable that U.S. citizens arrive without a visa to Ethiopia. However, U.S. citizens may obtain a one-month or three month, single-entry tourist visa or a 10-day business visa upon arrival at the international airport in Ethiopia. This service is only available at Bole International Airport, Ethiopia's main airport in Addis Ababa. The visa fee is payable only in Ethiopian currency. To avoid possible confusion or delays, travelers should obtain a valid Ethiopian visa at the nearest Ethiopian Embassy prior to arrival, and must do so if entering across any land port of entry. Both visas can be extended by applying at the Main Immigration Office in Addis Ababa. If your entry visa has expired, you must obtain a visa extension and pay a monthly penalty fee of $20 USD on top of a court fine of up to 4000 ETB ($500 USD) by the time of departure. You are required to pay the penalty fee before you will be able to obtain an exit visa for $20 USD allowing you to leave Ethiopia.

Household electronic devices, including DVD players, cameras, cell phones and computer printers, must be declared. Laptop computers must be declared both upon arrival and departure. Tape recorders require special customs permits. Foreign currency must also be declared on arrival and departure. Prior to travel, individuals intending prolonged stays should direct their questions to the Ethiopian Embassy, 3506 International Dr., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008; telephone (202) 364-1200; fax (202) 587-0195. Inquiries overseas may be made at the nearest Ethiopian embassy or consulate. Visit the Embassy of Ethiopia web site at www.ethiopianembassy.org for the most current visa information.

Safety and Security: The overall countrywide situation as of June 2006 is stable. However, in the first half of 2006 there were several explosions in the capital city of Addis Ababa and the provincial capital Jijiga. Five deaths and dozens of injuries were reported in Addis Ababa, and injuries were also reported in Jijiga. Injuries and deaths due to civil unrest and explosions were also reported in the western Oromiya region in late 2005 and early 2006. Following the May 2005 elections, civil disobedience led to widespread unrest with injuries and deaths of Ethiopian citizens in June and November 2005.

Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a peace agreement in December 2000 that ended the border war. American citizens should exercise caution if they travel to areas off the principal roads along the Eritrean/Ethiopian border (within 50 km/30 miles of the Ethiopian/Eritrean border) because of the possibility of land mines. There is a UN peacekeeping mission in the border area. Due to abductions and banditry all travel within 30 miles of the Ethiopian-Eritrean border west of Adigrat to the Sudanese border, with the exception of the town of Axum, and within 60 miles east of Adigrat to the Djiboutian border are off limits to Embassy personnel. Travel to the northern Afar Region towards the Eritrean border is generally discouraged and permitted to Embassy personnel only on a case-by-case basis.

Since the mid-1990's the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and government forces have clashed near Harar and in the Somali regional state, particularly in the Ogaden region. In April 2007, the ONLF claimed responsibility for attacking a Chinese oil exploration installation south of Jijiga, in Ethiopia's Somali region. The attack resulted in the death, kidnapping and wounding of Chinese personnel, in addition to the death and wounding of numerous local citizens. American citizens are reminded that the U.S. Embassy strongly discourages travel to the Ethiopia's Somali region and that a travel warning has been issued advising against all travel to Somalia. Armed rebel groups operate within the Somali, Oromiya and Afar regions. In December 2006, the Ethiopian Government, at the invitation of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, began military operations against extremists in Somalia. As of April 2007, military operations continue in Mogadishu, where an African Union peacekeeping force, AMISOM, is deployed.

Sporadic inter-ethnic clashes remain a concern throughout the Gambella region of western Ethiopia following outbursts of violence there in December 2003 and January 2004. There is an increased military and police presence in Gambella town. While the security situation in Gambella town is calm, it remains unpredictable throughout the rest of the region, and violence could recur without warning. Travel to this region is discouraged. Travel in Ethiopia via rail is discouraged due to episodes of derailment, sabotage, and bombings in February 2003.

In southern Ethiopia along the Kenyan border, banditry and incidents involving ethnic conflicts are also common. Travelers should exercise caution when traveling to any remote area of the country, including the borders with Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya and Sudan. Ethiopian security forces do not have a widespread presence in those regions. Travelers should maintain security awareness at all times and avoid large crowds and demonstrations. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, including the Worldwide Caution Travel Alert, can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.

Crime: Pick-pocketing, “snatch and run,” and other petty crimes are common in Addis Ababa. Travelers should exercise caution in crowded areas such as the Mercato, Africa's largest open-air market. Visitors should limit the amount of cash they carry and leave valuables, such as passports, jewelry, and airline tickets in a hotel safe or other secure place. Keep wallets and other valuables where they will be less susceptible to pick-pockets.

Travelers should be cautious at all times when traveling on roads in Ethiopia. There have been reports of highway robbery, including carjacking, by armed bandits outside urban areas. Some incidents have been accompanied by violence. Travelers are cautioned to limit road travel outside major towns or cities to daylight hours and travel in convoys, if possible.

Information for Victims of Crime: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Medical Facilities and Other Health Information: Health facilities are limited in Addis Ababa and completely inadequate outside the capital. Although physicians are generally well trained, even the best hospitals in Addis Ababa suffer from inadequate facilities, antiquated equipment, and shortages of supplies (particularly medicines). Emergency assistance is limited. Travelers must carry their own supplies of prescription drugs and preventive medicines, as well as a doctor's note describing the medication. If the quantity of drugs exceeds that which would be expected for personal use, a permit from the Ministry of Health is required.

Malaria is prevalent in Ethiopia outside of the highland areas. Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and up to one year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention and explain to the health care provider their travel history and which antimalarials they have been taking. For additional information on malaria, protection from insect bites, and antimalarial drugs, please visit the CDC Travelers' Health website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/malinfo.htm.

Ethiopia is a mountainous country and the high altitude may cause health problems even for healthy travelers. Addis Ababa is located at an altitude of 8,300 feet. Individuals may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, headaches, and inability to sleep. Travelers to Ethiopia should also avoid swimming in any lakes, rivers, or still bodies of water. Most bodies of water have been found to contain parasites. Travelers should be aware that Ethiopia has a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Ethiopia has had outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea, possible cholera, typhoid, or other bacterial diarrhea in the recent past, and the conditions for reoccurrences continue to exist.

Further information on prevention and treatment of cholera and other diarrheal diseases can be found at the CDC website: www.cdc.gov/travel/diseases.htm. Ethiopian authorities are monitoring the possibility of avian influenza following the deaths of poultry and birds; preliminary results are negative. For additional information on avian flu please visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Ethiopia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

While travel on both paved and unpaved roads is generally considered safe, land mines and other antipersonnel devices can be encountered on isolated dirt roads that were targeted during various conflicts. Before undertaking any off-road travel, it is advisable to inquire of local authorities to ensure that the area has been cleared of mines. Excessive speed, unpredictable local driving habits, pedestrians and livestock in the roadway, and the lack of basic safety equipment on many vehicles are daily hazards on Ethiopian roads. In addition, road travel after dark outside Addis Ababa and other cities is dangerous and discouraged due to broken-down vehicles left on the roads, pedestrians using the roads, stray animals, and the possibility of armed robbery. Road lighting in cities is inadequate at best and nonexistent outside of cities.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Ethiopia's Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Ethiopia's air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's Internet web site at http://www.faa.gov.

The Ethiopian government has closed air routes near the border with Eritrea and has referred to the airspace as a “no-fly zone.” The FAA currently prohibits U.S. aircraft and U.S. pilots from flying in Ethiopian airspace north of 12 degrees north latitude, the area along the country's northern border with Eritrea. For complete information on this flight prohibition, travelers may visit the FAA's website at www.faa.gov/ntap/index.htm.

Special Circumstances: Ethiopia does not recognize dual nationality. The government of Ethiopia considers Ethiopians who have become naturalized U.S. citizens to be Americans. Such individuals are not subject to Ethiopian military service. The Ethiopian government has stated that Ethiopian-Americans are given in almost all cases the same opportunity to invest in Ethiopia as Ethiopians. Although several years ago the government of Ethiopia arrested people of Eritrean origin who initially failed to disclose their U.S. citizenship, this has not occurred in recent years. Ethiopian officials have recently stated that Eritrean-Americans are treated as U.S. citizens and are not subject to arrest simply because of their ties to Eritrea.

Permits are required before either antiques or animal skins can be exported from Ethiopia. Antique religious artifacts, including “Ethiopian” crosses, require documentation from the National Museum in Addis Ababa for export.

Visitors must declare foreign currency upon arrival and may be required to present this declaration when applying for an exit visa or exchanging currency. Official and black market exchange rates are nearly the same. Foreign currency should be exchanged in authorized banks, hotels and other outlets and proper receipts should be obtained for the transactions. Exchange receipts are required to convert unused Ethiopian currency back to the original foreign currency. Penalties for exchanging money on the black market range from fines to imprisonment.

Credit cards are not accepted at most hotels, restaurants, shops, or other local facilities, although they are accepted at the Hilton and Sheraton Hotels in Addis Ababa. Some hotels and car rental companies, particularly in Addis Ababa, may require foreigners to pay in foreign currency or show a receipt for the source of foreign exchange if paying in local currency. However, many hotels or establishments are not permitted to accept foreign currency or may be reluctant to do so. Ethiopian institutions have on occasion refused to accept 1996 series U.S. currency, though official policy is that such currency should be treated as legal tender.

Ethiopian law strictly prohibits the photographing of military installations, police/military personnel, industrial facilities, government buildings, and infrastructure (roads, bridges, dams, airfields, etc.). Such sites are rarely marked clearly. Travel guides, police, and Ethiopian officials can advise if a particular site may be photographed. Photographing prohibited sites may result in the confiscation of film and camera.

There is a risk of earthquakes in Ethiopia. Buildings may collapse due to strong tremors. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov.

Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Ethiopian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Ethiopia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.

Children's Issues: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children's Issues website at http://travel.state.gov/family.

Registration and Embassy Locations: Americans living or traveling in Ethiopia are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ethiopia. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.

The U.S. Embassy is located at Entoto Avenue, P.O. Box 1014, in Addis Ababa, telephone: 251-11-124-2424; emergency after-hours telephone: 251-11-124-2400; consular fax: 251-11-124-2435; website: http://addisababa.usembassy.gov.

International Adoption

October 2006

The information in this section has been edited from a report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Adoption section of this book and review current reports online at http://travel.state.gov/family.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and current understanding. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

Please Note: There are several U.S.-based adoption agencies authorized by the Government of Ethiopia to provide adoption services, and several others pending accreditation.

Ethiopia requires post placement reports on Ethiopian orphans at 3 months, 6 months, and one year after the adoption. Yearly reports until the child turns 18 are also required.

Patterns of Immigration: Please review current reports online at http://travel.state.gov/family.

Adoption Authority: The government office responsible for adoptions in Ethiopia is the Adoption Team in the Children and Youth Affairs Office (CYAO), which is under the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA). The head of the Adoption Team can be reached at (251)-11-416-6362 or Fax: 251 11 416 6362 to request information about approved orphanages caring for children in need of permanent family placements through international adoption.

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents: The Ethiopian government prefers to place children with married couples who have been married for at least five years. In general, single persons under age 25 may not adopt, nor may openly gay or lesbian individuals or couples. However, the Ethiopian government has occasionally approved cases involving persons in all of these categories.

There is no statutory maximum age limit on the adoptive parent. However, Ethiopian practice is to limit the age of the parent to no more than 40 years greater than that of the adopted child.

Residency Requirements: There are no residency requirements for prospective adoptive parents.

Time Frame: Adoption agencies will advise adoptive parents approximately how long an adoption can take. Recent adoptions have taken between 6 and 24 months. Once the Ethiopian adoption process has been completed, it normally takes about an hour to apply for an immigrant visa for an adopted child for families working through approved adoption agencies.

Approved visas are typically picked up by the agencies the following morning. It may take months for private adopters, depending on the completeness of the application and the need for follow-up investigations.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa confirms that there are several American adoption agencies known to have bona fide licenses to facilitate international adoptions from Ethiopia to the United States. The Department of State is aware that there are American and foreign adoption agencies and individuals, located in both countries, who claim they can assist with adoptions in Ethiopia. Few orphanages are licensed to care for children in need of a permanent family placement through international adoption. MOWA has a list of adoption agencies authorized to provide adoption services.

Adoptive Parents Residing in Ethiopia: Adoptive parents residing in Ethiopia face a few issues not faced by those living in the United States. There is a sole social worker who is authorized to conduct a home study for the purposes of satisfying the requirements of USCIS' I-600A application and I-600 petition processes. To request a home study, prospective adoptive parents resident in Ethiopia may contact social worker Malahat BAIG-AMIN at 251 11 371 3307/3334 or cell phone number 251 91 131 5299. Prospective adoptive parents may also contact an accredited American agency to see if/when the agency may be sending a social worker to Ethiopia. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at http://travel.state.gov/family.

Private Adoptions: Private adoptions are permitted in Ethiopia, but discouraged by MOWA because they take place under local adoption rules and may bypass the process and protections put in place by the Government of Ethiopia relating to international adoption.

The procedures for an intercountry adoption are different from those for a local adoption. International adoption rules in Ethiopia require U.S. citizens to work with Ethiopia's Children and Youth Affairs Office (CYAO) in Addis Ababa, which is under the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOWA), to effect an intercountry adoption. Americans who enter into private adoptions that bypass the CYAO, or that follow local rather than international adoption procedures, will not be able to take the child out of Ethiopia, and will not be able to obtain a U.S. immigrant visa for the child. An exception to this is Ethiopian-Americans who adopt orphaned blood relatives. They are permitted to adopt using local adoption procedures, but when applying for the child's immigrant visa will have to provide additional and convincing supporting documentation to prove orphan status due to the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from, both parents. If the sole or surviving parent is incapable of providing the proper care the parent must have, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption.

Adoption Fees: Adoptive parents can expect to pay fees for authentication of U.S. documents for use abroad and for translation fees. All English-language documents submitted to the Ethiopian court must be accompanied by a translation in Amharic. The U.S. Embassy understands that translation services run about $1 per page, but check with your adoption agency for up to date information on translation costs.

MOWA and the police charge no fees for services creating dossiers on the parents and the child, investigating whether the child is a bona fide orphan, meeting in committee to review the case, and making their recommendations to the court. Courts charge no fees for services in accepting adoption petitions, making judgments, and issuing decrees. MOWA often asks for a letter from the U.S. Embassy supporting the parents' desire to adopt. If the Embassy has received the petition approval from USCIS, a letter can be issued supporting the adoption. This service is free.

If additional documents are required by MOWA, the agency/parents can submit certified copies. Cost for certification by the U.S. Embassy is $30 per grommeted package, or single document.

The services of MOWA in issuing a letter to the U.S. Embassy attesting to the orphan status of the child, and issuing requests so that the child's new birth certificate and passport can be issued, are free. The issuance of a local birth certificate costs about $2; for expeditious or same day service, add about $5. To have a birth certificate or other document authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs it costs about $16 for Ethiopian parents, about $35 for foreign parents. Ethiopian Passport issuance is about $35. Orphanages run by religious organizations, and the large government run orphanages, charge nothing for their services to prepare and sign adoption contracts.

Local unscrupulous adoption facilitators have been known to charge adoptive parents additional costs beyond what prospective adoptive parents believed they would be charged, often after they have arrived in Ethiopia and already have their children in their physical custody. Some of these parents indicated to the U.S. Embassy that the costs ran thousands of dollars more than they expected to pay.

Adoption Procedures: MOWA identifies orphans in need of a permanent family placement through international adoption. In general, Ethiopian orphans identified for intercountry adoption have been abandoned by their parents or have lost their parents to disease or other misfortune. MOWA places abandoned or orphaned children in orphanages or foster homes, pending adoption. When a child is abandoned, by law it comes into the custody of the government. When a child is found to have two HIV/AIDS-infected parents, or one living HIV/AIDS-infected parent, the government routinely declares that the child is an orphan and assumes legal guardianship of the child. Many AIDS-orphaned children adopted by Americans come from the HIV/AIDS hospice run by the Missionaries of Charity in Addis Ababa.

Prospective adoptive parents must take or send all of the required documents already certified and authenticated, to the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, D.C. for additional authentication. Once the Embassy has completed its authentication, the completed packet is returned to the adoptive parents. Then the prospective adoptive parents forward the documents to MOWA. MOWA reviews the documents for completeness and creates a dossier on the adoptive parent(s).

The parents' dossier is taken to the Claims and Authentication Section of the Protocol Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ethiopia to be authenticated. The parents' dossier is returned to CYAO. CYAO submits the parents' dossier to the Adoption Committee for review and approval to adopt. The Committee either approves or rejects the prospective adoptive parent(s), based on Ethiopian guidelines for international adoptions. Once the Committee has approved the parents' dossier, a child is selected and referred to the prospective parents to adopt. The child selected must have its own dossier at MOWA. That dossier describes the child, the child's history, how the child came to be an orphan, and who has legal guardianship of the child. Once a referral is made, the prospective adoptive parent may accept or refuse the referral.

Upon acceptance of the referral, a Contract of Adoption is signed between the child's legal guardian and the adoptive parent(s), or the agency representative. This contract is the basis for the issuance of the adoption decree, which shows that the guardian or the orphanage has relinquished their parental or guardian right in regard to the adopted child. The contract must be taken to the Inland Revenue Administration office to be stamped. CYAO opens a file at the Federal First Instance Court to apply for an appointment date for the adoption hearing. When the appointed court date arrives, the prospective parents or their agency's local representative will be asked to appear in court. All Ethiopian adoptions are full and final and irrevocable under Ethiopian law. After the adoption is complete, MOWA prepares a request to the city of Addis Ababa for the issuance of a new birth certificate, and a request to the Office of Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs for an Ethiopian passport for the child in its new name. The U.S. Embassy needs both the new birth certificate and the passport to complete the child's U.S. immigrant visa application process. The court decree must be translated into English. The original and the translation are submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for authentication. If the adoption contract was made in Amharic, it too must be translated into English and the original translation authenticated by MOFA.

Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at http://travel.state.gov/family.

Required Documents: Prospective adoptive parents must provide the following to MOWA:

• A written statement from the adoptive parents explaining why an Ethiopian child is preferred, with an original translation into Amharic.
• Original birth certificate(s) of the prospective adoptive parent (s), each with an original translation into Amharic.
• Original marriage license/certificate, if applicable, with an original translation into Amharic.
• An original Ethiopian police clearance for each of the adoptive parents (including those residing in Ethiopia).
• A medical certificate/clearance for each of the adoptive parents, with an original translation into Amharic.
• The original home study prepared by a qualified social worker.
• Evidence of economic status accompanied by an original translation into Amharic.
• Three letters of reference from friends, relatives, church or other sources qualified to assess your character, the stability of your marriage, and your ability to parent, with original translations into Amharic.
• Two passport-size photographs of the prospective adoptive parent(s).
• If the adoptive parents do not come to Ethiopia together to over-see this entire process, then they must execute a power of attorney for their adoption agency, or if only one parent will travel to Ethiopia, the other parent must execute a power of attorney for him/her. That power of attorney must be authenticated by the Ethiopian embassy in Washington, D.C., and be submitted with an original translation into Amharic.
• Obligation of Adoption or Social Welfare Agency signed by the adoption agency handling the adoption, or for private adopters, from the organization that provided the home study, or by the parents' employer, in which the parents agree to allow follow-up visits by a social worker, and to submit a regular progress report to CYAO on the child's (or children's) adjustment to/development in the adoptive home.
• Verification by the adoption agency or home study organization on the child's qualification for naturalization under the parents' state laws, with an original translation into Amharic.

Ethiopian Embassy in the United States
3506 International Drive, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Phone: 202-364-1200
Fax: 202-587-0195
[email protected]
http://www.ethiopianembassy.org/contact.shtml.

U.S. Immigration Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at http://travel.state.gov/family.

American Embassy
Entoto Road
Addis Ababa

The Consular Section's telephone number is (251-11) 124-24-24. The fax number is (251-11) 124-35-35. The e-mail address is [email protected].

Additional Information: Specific questions about adoption in may be addressed to the U.S. Embassy. General questions regarding international adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children's Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.