Amber Henshaw

Opposition Presser

The two main opposition parties, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy and the UEDF, held a press conference yesterday. They again rejected the election results and said they wanted to form a National Unity Government with the EPRDF.

That's all very well but I just can't see why the ruling party would agree. According to the National Electoral Board they've already got 296 votes (more than they need for a majority in parliament and enough to form a government).

I guess that Meles and the EPRDF will just ignore the request and where does that leave the opposition? What can and should they do next?

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And we have a winner...

At a National Electoral Board Press Conference earlier they confirmed the EPRDF have won the election. They have 296 seats and their affiliates have 22. The CUD have 109 and the UEDF 52.

There will be 31 re-elections and a by-election on Aug 21st which is the same day as the elections in the Somali Region. There will be 55 more seats to announce but it won't touch the ruling party's win.

Large and lardy!!

On AU summit day we were all getting pretty hungry after hours and hours of hanging around..as I'm sure the leaders were too who didn't take a break during the discussions.

I was chatting to a photographer at about 6pm who was saying that he really needed to have something to eat. He then looked down at my stomach and said that I obviously didn't - I looked like I'd eaten a lot, he said!!!

Admittedly my stomach was and still is sticking out. I wasn't quite sure whether I should tell him I'm six months pregnant.

AU

The African Union held an extraordinary summit in Addis at the end of last week. They were discussing reform of the United Nations Security Council.

The 53 African States had agreed to ask for two permanent seats with the power of veto at an earlier summit. 

However, many people believed that one of the best ways (only ways??) to get those seats was to do a deal with the G4 countries (Brazil, Japan, Germany and India). The G4 had made it clear that the veto would be a no go and had asked the African states to reconsider - hence the meeting.

Leaders - including Robert Mugabe and Thabo Mbeki - swept in to the AU amidst tight security. The meeting started with a speech by the Nigerian President,
Olusegun Obasanjo, who made it pretty clear that he wanted to see a consensus (i.e the call for a veto dropped)...with that in mind I thought it was ALMOST a done deal.

But seven hours later and Mr Obasanjo left (not looking too happy apparently) saying to journalists "What can I say?"

Everyone else started leaving shortly afterwards...few wanted to speak to the media but it became clear that they had agreed to stick to their original position. They also agreed to set up a group of 10 heads of states to promote their position internationally.

But was this really the best move for Africa? I'm certainly no expert but I just wonder what their chances of success are now without the support of the G4.....

Fistula Foundation

I’ve just been to the Fistula Hospital here in Addis Ababa to do a recce for a BBC story I’m doing later in the week. It is an inspirational place.

Sister Ruth Kennedy, a Baptist missionary from America who’s been here for 12 years and at the hospital for six, showed me round.

The hospital takes women who have had obstructive labours - many of them end up with holes in their bladders or rectums. As a result they smell and are often ostracised by their husbands, families and friends. Some travel for days to get to the hospital for treatment.

Fistula is a big problem in developing countries - each year 100,000 women are affected by obstetric fistula. It’s something the developing world put an end to with caesareans.

The Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia is one of its kind. And they are opening new centres in Mekele, Metu in the Gambela Region and I think down south somewhere. At the moment, there’s one in Bahar Dar as well as in Addis.

It was the atmosphere that particularly struck me. Everyone (mostly women) was so friendly. The staff seemed to genuinely care about the patients and know them well.

Anyone interested in finding out more….www.fistulafoundation.org