U.S. Ambassador Yamamoto Visits Harar

Harar, Ethiopia - U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Yamamoto, visited the historic city of Harar on August 28, 2007. After landing at Dire Dawa airport, the Ambassador drove down to Harar and first met with the Harari President Murad Abdulhadi. The delegation included Mr. Glenn Anders, USAID Ethiopia Mission Director, Michael Gonzales, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission (A/DCM), as well as Col. Bradley Anderson, Defense Attache Officer, Mrs. Patricia W. Johnson, Cultural Affairs Officer, Ato Girma Abebe, Political Specialist, and Ato Yoseph Shiferaw, Cultural Affairs Specialist. The discussions with Ato Murad Abdulhadi generally covered the Millennium celebrations in Harar, food aid delivery to the Somali Region and the situation in the Ogaden, as well as a variety of issues about the historic city of Harar.

The Ambassador next met with the Head of the Bureau of Investment and Trade, Ato Elias Abdulmalik, at Harar Lodge on Hakim Gara overlooking the city. Ato Elias briefed the Ambassador about tourism and investment efforts being undertaken in the city of Harar by the city and the Diaspora. He then proceeded to give a tour of two American Diaspora projects.

The President of Harar then hosted a lunch reception at Dinni Paradise. After lunch, the Ambassador presented Ato Yemage Idris, Head of the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, $5,000 for the renovation of the Teferi Mekonnen House/Abdullah Sharif Museum. The agreement was signed by Mrs. Patricia Johnson. The group visited the museum and the Rimbaud House in the walled city of Harar.

The last visit on schedule was the Yemage Medical Center operated by an Ethio-American Diaspora, Sebri Omer, from Atlanta, Georgia. The Ambassador and the delegation visited the center and had a briefing from the Medical Director, Dr. Fitih. The one-day visit ended with a tour of the CJTF-HOA facilities in Dire Dawa.