Today’s Gossip: Mekonnen Manyazewal…

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The state of Djibouti presents a test to the wisdom and negotiating ability of a non-EPRDFite minister in the administration of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, gossip observed. A capable technocrat since his early career in a central planning commission under the government of Mengistu Hailemariam (Col), Mekonnen Manyazewal assumed the responsibilities of negotiating trade terms with other countries a couple of years ago.

And he owes it largely to the trust and confidence the late Meles Zenawi put on him, despite his reluctance to join the ruling party, claims gossip. Mekonnen is the only official of his stature without party membership left in the government, and is now chief of the national planning commission, under the rank of a minister.

It is a natural place for him, gossip observed. This is true, particularly when compared to his recent debut at the Ministry of Industry (MoI), where his absence from the rank and file of the ruling party constrained his power to command regional industry bureau chiefs and directors at the ministry. This is as many of them are card carrying members, claims gossip.

Yet, his technocratic credentials appear to have made Hailemariam comfortable with letting him hold the role of a senior trade negotiator with bilateral and multilateral parties, including Ethiopia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), according to gossip. It is a role Mekonnen inherited from Girma Birru – a senior party member and another able technocrat, who now serves asEthiopia’s ambassador to theUnited States- gossip claims.

Even then, it was unusual when the late Meles moved the trade negotiation dossier from its historical custodian of the Ministry of Trade (MoT), and entrusted it to one he had appointed as a minister of Industry, claims gossip. There must have been a degree of trust in Meles with the abilities of Mekonnen to negotiate better terms onEthiopia’s behalf, gossip said.

The time to display this ability might have arrived now, claims gossip.Djiboutiwill, next week, test his skills at manoeuvring diplomatic niceties to play tough or compromise on an issue that may lead to a serious imbalance inEthiopia’s macroeconomic climate, according to gossip. He will lead an army of Ethiopian officials, including Worqneh Gebeyehu of the Ministry of Trade, and Mekonnen Abera, director general of the Ethiopian Maritime Affairs Authority, to settle an evolving dispute that has angered Ethiopian businesses, gossip disclosed.

Ethiopian importers are infuriated over the circular the Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority, under Aboubaker O. Hadi, issued in last week of November 2013, ordering that “no container will be invoiced” at ports in Djibouti and Doraleh without completing all documentation. In addition to the many documents freight forwarders used to submit to ensure cargo clearance, they will have to present a “bank transfer letter in hard currency” with a list of names of importers and freight forwarders, as well as bill of lading and plate numbers for trucks. The deadline to enforce this has been postponed from December 7 to January 15, 2014.

The Catch-22 forEthiopiais that its freight forwarders cannot access foreign currency from the commercial banks here before they submit original receipts proving that fees for port handling and commissions to freight forwarders inDjiboutihave been paid. Mekonnen and his team will argue that a bilateral dealEthiopiasigned withDjiboutiin 2003, under Girma Birru, allows a two-week period whereby Ethiopian freight forwarders are invoiced. This, Djiboutian officials argue, has led to a huge amount being owed in arrears fromEthiopia’s side.

Ironically, many in the gossip corridor are convinced that whatDjiboutihas done is for the purpose of arm twisting to intimidateEthiopiafor arresting one of its citizens who used to work as a middle level official in the Port Authority.

The last time Djibouti officials acted erratically was in 2008, when they attempted to jack up port fees unilaterally. Girma Birru and Seyoum Mesfin, the then minister of Foreign Affairs, flew to Djibouti and put a stop to it.

How Mekonnen and his team are prepared to respond to such perceived bullying is to be seen next week. But they are already viewed at the gossip corridors as being soft on the issue.

AddisFortune

Mekonnen Manyazewal…