Vision Ethiopia Fifth Conference Final Program May 7, 2018

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Vision Ethiopia Fifth Conference Final Program program May 7 2018

Vision Ethiopia – ESAT Fifth Conference
Venue, ESAT Conference Room
(Due to space constraint admission is by invitation only)
85 South Bragg Street #400, Alexandria, VA 22312
May 12 and 13 2018, Washington D.C./Alexandria, VA/
Amended Final Program
Saturday May 12
9:00 Registration and Coffee
9:30 Welcome, Master of Ceremonies for Day #1 (ESAT)
9:35 Prayer & remembrance of the victims of conflict
9:40 Welcome to ESAT, Ato Abebe Gelaw, Executive Director of ESAT
9:50 Opening and welcome, Professor Getachew Begashaw, President of Vision Ethiopia
Saturday 10:00
Special Session:
Human rights in Ethiopia, Senate Resolution 168 & the evolving situation in Ethiopia
Moderator: Professor Minga Negash, MSU Denver and University of the Witwatersrand
Part A: Update about HR 128 and its early impact, and SR 168
Panelists:
W/O Genet Negussie & Ato Kebadu Belachew, Ethiopian Advocacy Network & Ethiopian American Civic Council
Ato Aba Guya Ayele, Torture survivor & Witness before the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, March 9, 2017
Ato Kidane Mawsha, Rights violations & ethnic cleansing: the case of Wolkait, Tsegede & Tselemt
Part B: The impediments for successful post conflict transition in Ethiopia & how to resolve them
Special Guest Panelists
Judge Frehiwot Samuel, President of the Investigation Commission for the 2005 election crisis
Ato Bekele Gerba, Academic, Oromo Federalist Congress/Medrek/ and former political prisoner
Ato Eskender Nega, Journalist, activist and former political prisoner
01:30 Lunch Break
02:30 Panel Discussion
Panel theme: Transition and Ethiopia’s federal system
Moderator: Dr. Aberra Molla, Ethiopian Computers & Software, Colorado
Panelists
Dr. Henoch Gebissa, Washington and Lee University, Past President of Oromo Studies Association,
“Challenges and prospects of Ethiopian political transition”
Dr. Paulos Chanie Tsegaw, Virginia State University, “Clientelism and Ethiopia’s Post-1991
Decentralization, Ethiopia’s fiscal federalism”
04:00 Coffee Break
04:15 Panel Discussion
Panel theme: Transition and alternative forms of federalism
Moderator: Ato Gizaw Legesse, Director of IT at OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor
Panelists
Ato Dinberu Degnetu, OGDOSUNMU CPAs, “Nationalities & Federal systems”
Professor Getachew Metaferia, Morgan State University, “The Imperatives of Political Parties in Building
a Democratic Ethiopia”
05:45 End of Day #1
Sunday May 13
09:00 Registration and coffee
09:15 Opening and welcome, Master of ceremonies for Day # 2 (ESAT)
09:20 Prayer and blessings
09:30 Panel Discussion
Panel theme: Existing federal structures/institutions/powers and alternative forms of federalism
Moderator: Dr. Aklog Birara, Former World Bank Economist and Vice Chairman of Consortium of
Ethiopian Civic Organizations (TIBIBIR)
Panelists
Ato Geletaw Zeleke, Ethiopian Dialogue Forum and Research Institute, “Alternative systems of
federalism”
Professor Sisay Assefa, Western Michigan University, “Rebuild the Ethiopian nation state for future
progress”
Dr. Aberra Molla, Ethiopian Computers & Software, “New proclamation on federal language & the
usefulness of Ethiopic as a national writing system”
11:30 Coffee break
11:45 Panel Discussion
Panel theme: Transition and federalism. Perspectives from Rights advocacy & Social Movement
organizations
Moderator: Ato Yilma Zerihun, Environment Program Coordinator, City of Dallas
Panelists
Dr. Erku Yimer, Secretary General of Consortium of Ethiopian Civic Organizations (TIBIBIR)
Ato Negassi Beyene, Gasha Ethiopia
01:15 Lunch break
02:15 Panel Discussion
Panel theme: Transition and federalism, perspectives from political organizations
Moderator: Professor Getachew Begashaw, Harper College, Chicago
Ato Neamin Zeleke, Arbegnoch Ginbot 7 & Ethiopian National Movement
Dr. Mesfin Abdi, Oromo Democratic Front & Ethiopian National Movement
Ato Haile Gabriel Wolde Senbet, One Amhara Organization
Ato Shimeles Gebresenbet, Green Star Southern Ethiopia Movement
04:45 Conference communique (if any)
05:00 Vote of thanks and closure