Africans to Mediate in Horn Region

With stability in the Horn of Africa at stake, five African leaders are moving to take charge of frantic efforts to foster peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Taking over from a foundering U.S.-Rwanda effort to end the fighting, a team of African representatives appointed by the Organization of African Unity is to visit the feuding countries at the end of this week.

Their trip is part of a growing desire by African countries to take the lead in mediating regional conflicts rather than rely on superpowers and former colonial rulers for diplomacy.

“The U.S. plan has been overtaken by events,” said Eritrean presidential spokesman Yemane Gebremeskel. “Then, we were trying to avert war. Now, we have a war on our hands.”

Yemane said the OAU team is tentatively scheduled to go to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Thursday, and to the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on Friday. There was no immediate confirmation from Ethiopia.

Since early May, tank and artillery battles have flared on three fronts and warplanes’ bombs have killed civilians on both sides of the disputed border in northeastern Africa. No skirmishes were reported Saturday.

The conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a former Ethiopian province, surprised most diplomats as well as Eritreans and Ethiopians. The two governments had been close allies since Eritrea became independent in 1993.

A mediation team led by Robert Houdek, a former U.S. ambassador to Eritrea, left Asmara for Addis Ababa on Saturday without comment.

The diplomatic team will be led by Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, who is the OAU chairman, and OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim. Also participating are the presidents of Zimbabwe, Djibouti and Rwanda.

To avert a full-scale war that could destabilize the region, the African delegation is seeking a plan that allows both Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to back down with honor.