Mereja Forum

[jennifer]

[gurre]

This girl tried her best to defend Ethiopia. As a junior researcher living in the Netherlands, according to her facebook profile, she comes short in communicating her ideas fluently due to lack of proficiency of english language and broader experience in international affairs, i think.
Was/is she the only one available for france 24? or is it a work of lobbying and networking?

[Sam Ebalalehu]

I believe she did great. Her English is not bad at all. She , I believe, argued wisely. She pointed out the 1959 colonial agreement is not a starting point for negotiation. She elaborated only cooperation between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan solve the impasse. None of the countries , she eloquently said , has other choice but to figure out how reasonably share the limited water Nile delivers. She pointed out not only population growth affected the water use of Nile river, but also climate change. Yes , English is not her first language, so expecting her to speak like Americans or Canadians do speak is being unreasonable. She however delivered an important message : Ethiopia is open for negotiation, but she will not be pushed around.

[DefendTheTruth]

Was/is she the only one available for france 24? or is it a work of lobbying and networking?

As far as I remember she is said to be a researcher in water resources and hydrology(?) and not an expert on international affairs and public diplomacy. She is a patriot and as such wanted to defend her country at the avenue that availed itself to her, there is no denying that.

At the same time your question here reminds me of a book by Author Samuel P. Huntington titled Clash of Civilizations, in which he referred to Ethiopia as one of very few countries in the world dubbed "lone nations". According to his narrative Ethiopia has no single country in the world as a close associate when it comes to international cooperations and solidarity, not in Africa nor on the global level.

If someone wanted to look for better experienced and equipped with the necessary informations and expertise, I don't think there was that much a problem to pick one.

Even if she might have lacked the same level of rhetoric skill, she still tried to tell them that they can't call it their only "existential threat", specially when everybody knows that Egypt can afford on many different parameters much better life standard than Ethiopia, unless Ethiopian Lives may not matter to them.

[Wedi]

She did Great

[Abaymado]

what is wrong with you guys? she was not speaking English at all. she uses earphone, can't you see? I am feeling it is translated by an Arab or French women. Mekdelawit is speaking in Amahric. wasn't it?

[tlel]

Look, you can't identify Egypt from West, makes sure of that, also the Crisis group is here only not as neutral. Those you call "freindly" nations are actually look at countries like Ethiopia in contempt, has been weakening the country. What you see is another debate making Ethiopia look weak and acting like "David" and Goliath propoganda bringing Female, who maybe struggling in her English, seriously, how can Ethiopia lose such people to bring with her to debate, Where are the coward Diaspora who talk day and night about Ethiopia, your education is just for nothing? Who is she chosen by by the way. Ethiopia is going the wrong direction following her "friendly" countries.

Who in hell is Ethiopia listening? Why do they want to look weak especially internationally and why don't they bring even including her others as well who will not be intimidated? Why are there more Egypitans and Westerners in the debate than Ethiopia who is more in this issue?

Look the Crisis Group Pretentds he is debating for Ethiopia? He is English for gods sake and why are they involved? This means yes, it is them who is deciding for the Ethiopian government.

In reality there is something up with Tplf/Meles why they want all of the sudden build Nile that was never in their mind, but may relaize once they break Ethiopia they can get enriched selling/sharing the electricity to neighboring countries.

Let us be honest: Tplf and Shabia have already been changing themselves away from who they are, they are saying they are more from Middle East side that is why Shabia is part of Arab League and Isayas and Meles told Gadaffi they were Arabs. Their goal is to resurrect Axum (nothing wrong with that) but minus Ethiopia or that doesn't include Oromo/South Ethiopia. Amara will be subdued by Shabia and Tplf eventually. Real war is against Oromo and part Amaras who are proud African. That is why the so called fake Ethiopian- here like Andertan or Noble Amara talk about Abyssinia instead of Ethiopia. This is classical Western colonization way of thinking just like during Rwanda war between Hutu and Tutsis. The Oromos are giving them exactly what Tplf/shbia want, would lose Nile!

It is said that Al-sisi mother is uh....