Ana Gomes is coordinator and spokesperson of the foreign affairs committee for her political group, the Social-Democrat. With 200 members the Social-Democrat is the second largest group within the European Parliament. For Ethiopia and Ethiopians though Ana Gomes is best remembered for her role as the leader of the EU election observers’ team during the 2005 crisis-induced general election in Ethiopia. She has had a troubled relationship with Ethiopia’s late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who she still calls “a dictator,” after she published her report in which wrote the election was massively rigged. Eight years later, Ana Gomes came to Ethiopia to participate in the just concluded 26^th ACP-EU parliamentary meeting. Her arrival in Addis Ababa caught many, who thought she would never be allowed to set foot in Ethiopia, by a surprise. Addis Standard’s deputy-editor-in-chief Tesfaye Ejigu met Ana Gomes during the meeting and held an exclusive interview. Excerpts:

AS – Your question to the development commissioner Andris Piebalgs was on Ethio-Djibouti road project funded by the EU. The commissioner replied EU no longer funds road projects in Ethiopia because construction work is given to companies without auction or given to friendly companies. What happened to the Ethio-Djibouti road project at the end?

Ana- Gomes – I don’t know if it was the auction. I raised the issue because some very concerned European friends told me about that because there is a lot of money from the European taxpayers which was supposed to be directed to development that was diverted. I only talked about the road. But I just confirmed with the EU commission representative that it’s indeed two contracts; one, a railway between Addis Ababa and Djibouti; the EU funding was around 45 million Euros, and two, 50 water tunnels project, by the same company worth 20 million Euros. The company was an Italian company called CONSTAT. That company adds Ethiopian Contractors/subcontractors. Obviously it was chosen by the ministry of finance with EU agreement. It’s a project that has gone very wrong because nothing has been achieved, and the money has been deviated.  EU has started investigation, arbitration is going on; it also involved your government.  And support has been cancelled. They are apparently trying to recover the money from the company. But the money has gone, so the investigation goes on. I was promised for the details by the European commission. It doesn’t mention road. It’s a bit weird however that the EU development commissioner mentioned road construction. And the EU signing new agreement to fund road projects in Ethiopia is contradictory. I think it’s important to clarify all these contradictions for the sake of taxpayers in Europe and also for the Ethiopian people. I am heartened by the fact that PM Hailemariam [Desalegn] has started taking measures even against the high officials who are involved in corruption. So I have to find out. In fighting corruption the main element is transparency. So this element has to be put out for the people to know. There are some things to be checked.

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Source: Addis Standard