1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6