The Addis Hilton!

Yes, the Addis Hilton was where we stayed the weekend of the Great Run! One of the single volunteers treated herself to a night there for her birthday a couple of months ago, after regaling everyone with how they should save Hilton points. That reminded me that I ought to have some! As it turned out I had more than enough to spend a weekend in the Hilton. The Sheraton is THE elite hotel in town, financed by an Ethiopian/Arabian Sheik! But the Hilton isn’t at all bad, particularly when one has access to the executive lounge.

The reason for this introduction is not to destroy your rightly held perception of the hard life of we volunteers in Ethiopia. OK so maybe it isn’t that bad. The real reason, however, is to introduce the individual we chatted with whilst enjoying the pleasures of the bar. Harold (opted not to use the name he introduced himself by) is a US government employee here on a multi-year contract to establish a military leadership college. As it turns out, the building for this college is directly across from our corner bar. Every day I have walked past the place oblivious to its function. Sure, I have noticed the military folks entering and exiting the building. And in fact, been very curious of the origin of a particularly small group of soldiers whose flag patch I had been unable to identify. Little wonder, it is the flag of the yet-to-be declared, assuming the referendum goes their way and the north acquiesces, new country of South Sudan.

This U.S. mission is to establish a local military establishment to provide senior officers with the equivalent of a US Army college degree. The Ethiopians support the fourth largest contingent of peacekeepers in the world and yet to date have not had one of their own placed in a position of command. They are often given a position of second in command to an officer from a much smaller country, who has little or no practical experience but who has the academic credentials. Following years of internal strife and involvements in neighboring countries the senior members of the Ethiopia army have no shortage of experience, but do lack academic credentials. Needless to say, they are not happy about this, and view the U.S. training program as a way to rectify the situation.

Their practical experience in some cases predates the current regime with some of the senior officers being former Derg (the regime forcibly ousted in 1991) officers. Ethiopian tribes have a long history of conflict. The “battles” were frequently resolved without loss of life but resulted in revolving alliances. Similarly when rebels (the current government) overthrew the Derg, though in that case involving substantial casualties, military staff willing to pledge allegiance to the new regime were absorbed into the new armed forces, often retaining their position and rank.

From Harold’s perspective, with his access to, and frequent opportunities to observe high government officials, he believes there is little corruption (as we tend to define it), especially in the military and police. Not to say that political cronyism isn’t rampant (already seen that with appointees in the Ministry of Education) although maybe less so in the military. He pointed out that the tallest building in Addis, which we could see from our vantage point, had lain empty for almost two years following a political falling out between the government and the owner – our “Sheraton-Sheik”! But with elections around the corner and his public support for the government assured, his certificate for occupancy has recently been approved.