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Viewing cable 06ADDISABABA2123, ETHIOPIA: NATIONAL ELECTION BOARD REFORMS MOVING

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ADDISABABA2123 2006-08-03 06:53 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Addis Ababa
VZCZCXRO8910
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2123/01 2150653
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030653Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1888
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002123 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: NATIONAL ELECTION BOARD REFORMS MOVING 
FORWARD 
 
REF: ADDIS ABABA 02032 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY.  On July 27, Pol/Econ Counselor and Poloff 
met with British election expert Hannah Roberts and Rosanna 
Dudziak of the UNDP to discuss progress on the reorganization 
and capacity building of the Ethiopian National Elections 
Board (NEB).  In early 2006, Roberts completed a study 
identifying structural limitations and operational 
incapacities of the NEB.  Roberts is currently collaborating 
with the NEB on a strategic plan that will enable it to 
better meet the challenges of the 2007 local elections, as 
well as federal elections in 2010.  These changes will likely 
entail the hiring of large numbers of new staff at the 
beginning of 2007; the donor community plans to supply 
training and technological upgrades to support this effort. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
NEB IN NEED OF, AND OPEN TO, REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
2. (U) Hannah Roberts, a British elections expert with 
significant experience in elections observation and 
organization, briefed Pol/Econ Counselor and Poloff on her 
ongoing work with the NEB.  During her initial work with the 
NEB prior to the May 2005 federal parliamentary elections, 
her organization Electoral Reform International Services 
(ERIS), played a critical part in supporting the NEB,s 
capacity to administer an election with participation of over 
25 million voters.  Following the elections, the donor 
community, opposition parities, and the GoE all agreed that 
the NEB is one of the key areas of focus in reforms aimed at 
avoiding any potential future election-related controversies. 
 
3. (SBU) Hannah Roberts was commissioned in early 2006 to 
study the strengths and weaknesses of the NEB in its present 
form, as well as to formulate general recommendations to 
address the problem areas.  In her report, she identified the 
following problems with the current NEB: 
 
- The Secretariat is chronically under-resourced and in 
urgent need of organizational reform; 
 
- It has an inadequate staff and the qualifications and 
experience base is insufficient (NOTE. Roberts informed us 
there were approximately 140 employees at the central NEB 
offices to administer the 2005 elections.  END NOTE); 
 
- The NEB is reliant upon other federal agencies for its 
regional representation. 
 
- The total NEB running cost for the 2005 elections were less 
than $0.36 per registered voter. 
 
4. (SBU) Although her study found significant structural and 
organizational shortcomings, she reported that during her 
research she received full cooperation from the management of 
the NEB Secretariat, as well as from those at the working 
level and in other parts of the GoE.  Roberts feels that this 
support is the result of &a genuine commitment and interest 
(on the part of the NEB) to make things better.8  In her 
report she notes that there is strong motivation at the 
senior and lower levels of the Secretariat to undertake 
institutional reform.  In addition to regular workshops and 
staff meetings in order to gather information, Roberts 
reported having several meetings with Chairman of the NEB 
Board of Governors, Kemal Bedri, as well as the Acting Chief 
Executive of the Secretariat, Tesfaye Mengesha. 
 
5. (SBU) The initial report was published in March 2006 and 
contained recommendations focused on the bolstering of the 
thin staffing levels and the training up of potential new 
hires, as well as the existing staff.  Though she outlined in 
her report a new organizational structure under which the NEB 
would be more effective, she felt it was necessary to further 
develop a strategic plan for the staffing and operation of a 
newly structured NEB on a department-by-department basis. 
Roberts was subsequently engaged to develop this plan and she 
anticipates completion by the end of August.  She informed 
Pol/Econ Counselor that, if approved, the new organization 
structure will bring the new NEB in line with international 
standards of effective electoral administrations.  She voiced 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002123  002 OF 002 
 
 
concern that if no changes are implemented, the NEB's current 
structure will make future federal and local elections as 
problematic as those of 2005. Roberts proposed that the donor 
community be involved in supporting development and capital 
costs, particularly in the area of training and IT 
infrastructure. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
NEXT STEPS: APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) In order for a recommended restructuring to become 
effective, it must be first approved by the Ethiopian Civil 
Service Commission.  Following this, the required legal 
changes must be submitted to the Legal and Administration 
Affairs Standing Committee of the Ethiopian House of People's 
Representatives (HPR), which will reconvene in October.  NEB 
reforms already have a place on the agenda of the ongoing 
dialogue between the GoE and opposition parties; the 
recommended restructuring plan, prior to open discussion by 
the HPR, will be the topic of multi-party talks similar to 
those that took place in June regarding parliamentary 
procedural reform (reftel).  (NOTE: It is also anticipated 
that once the HPR reconvenes, a new NEB Board of Governors 
will also be nominated by the Prime Minister and approved by 
the HPR. Senior EPRDF officials have indicated that the 
ruling party will consult opposition leaders before naming 
new board members. END NOTE) 
 
7. (U) Once a restructuring of the Secretariat of NEB is 
approved by the HPR, the NEB will then be faced with the task 
of staffing the numerous new positions created as a result of 
the restructuring.  Roberts anticipates that this process 
will take until the beginning of 2007, at which point she 
feels it will be important to have training programs in 
place.  In addition to the challenge of developing and 
implementing training programs, Roberts noted that the NEB 
Secretariat will be simultaneously preparing for the woreda 
 
SIPDIS 
and kebele level elections that are anticipated to take place 
before the end of 2007, which will be particularly 
challenging for the newly restructured NEB.  Roberts felt 
that this heightens the need for donor involvement in guiding 
the NEB through the establishment of a solid foundation. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
COMMENT: NEB REFORMS ESSENTIAL TO RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Much criticism of Ethiopia's 2005 federal elections 
has focused on a supposedly compromised NEB board.  In fact, 
lack of capacity at the NEB appears to have been a major 
problem as well.  Hannah Roberts played a key role in working 
with the NEB during the 2005 parliamentary elections, and has 
continued to be an important player in the implementation of 
critically needed structural changes to the NEB Secretariat. 
Through her nonpartisan work and extensive experience, she 
seems to have gained the trust and confidence of the NEB 
leadership.  A critical stage in the acceptance of her final 
recommendations will be the multi-party dialogue likely to 
occur in September.  Achieving consensus on NEB reform will 
be essential to restoring the credibility of the NEB.  Post 
will be engaged with ruling and opposition parties during 
this time to encourage cohesive and productive talks.  The 
first test of the credibility of a newly restructured NEB 
will be local elections currently anticipated by the end of 
2007. Ethiopia's democracy can ill-afford another election 
plagued with irregularities. 
HUDDLESTON