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Remarks by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to
the United Nations, at the Funeral of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of
Ethiopia
Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
September 2, 2012
Good morning. First Lady Azeb Mesfin, President Girma, Acting Prime
Minister Hailemariam, members of the Council of Ministers, members of
Parliament, excellencies, distinguished guests, and the great people
of Ethiopia – thank you for the privilege of speaking here today.
We gather to mark a profoundly sorrowful loss for Ethiopia, for
Africa, and for the entire world. Our shared grief is palpable.
On behalf of President Obama, the United States government, and the
American people, I wish to extend our deepest condolences and
heartfelt sympathy for the untimely passing of Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi. Our prayers are with the people of Ethiopia and, most
especially, with Prime Minister Meles's beloved wife, Azeb, and their
cherished children, Semhal, Senay, and Marda.
As we join you in mourning, we affirm our deep respect for, and
solidarity with, the proud citizens of Ethiopia, and we renew our
commitment to our valued partnership with the people and government of
Ethiopia.
I suspect we all feel it deeply unfair to lose such a talented and
vital leader so soon, when he still had so much more to give.
Meles was a friend—both to my country and to me, personally. Whenever
we met, no matter how beset he was, he would always begin by asking me
about my children. His inquiries were never superficial. He wanted
detailed reports on their development. Then satisfied, he would
eagerly update me on his own children. Meles was a proud father and a
devoted husband. As he laughed about his children's exploits and
bragged about their achievements, a face sometimes creased by worry,
would glow with simple joy. In his children and all children, Meles
saw the promise of renewal and the power of hope.
Meles was disarmingly regular, unpretentious, and direct. He was
selfless, tireless and totally dedicated to his work and family. In
the toughest of times, he retained that twinkle in his eye, his ready
smile, his roiling laugh and his wicked sense of humor. True, he never
belied any lack of confidence in his judgments. He was tough,
unsentimental and sometimes unyielding. And, of course, he had little
patience for fools, or "idiots," as he liked to call them.
For, among Prime Minister Meles' many admirable qualities, above all
was his world-class mind. A life-long student, he taught himself and
many others so much. But he wasn't just brilliant. He wasn't just a
relentless negotiator and a formidable debater. He wasn't just a
thirsty consumer of knowledge. He was uncommonly wise – able to see
the big picture and the long game, even when others would allow
immediate pressures to overwhelm sound judgment. Those rare traits
were the foundation of his greatest contributions.
Still, there was no shortage of occasions when, as governments and
friends, we simply, sometimes profoundly, disagreed. But even as we
argued – whether about economics, democracy, human rights, regional
security or our respective foreign policies – I was always struck by
two things: Meles was consistently reasoned in his judgments and
thoughtful in his decisions; and, he was driven not by ideology but by
his vision of a better future for this land he loved. I will deeply
miss the challenge and the insights I gained from our discussions and
debates.
Prime Minister Meles was remarkably ambitious – but not, as is
typical, for himself. He was both a son of Ethiopia and a father to
its rebirth. Passionately proud to be Ethiopian, Meles was determined
that you, its people, conquer your history of poverty, hunger, and
strife. Meles was profoundly shaped by the memory of fragile young
lives snuffed out in the 1980s by folly-induced famine and despair.
The torment of that terrible time spurred him to join in driving out
the strongman who had turned Ethiopia into a parched field of sorrow.
It spurred him to remake himself overnight from guerrilla to
statesman. It spurred him to make sustainable development both a
personal passion and a national priority. And it spurred him to
resolve that Ethiopians will claim and maintain your rightful place as
peacemakers and generous contributors on the world stage.
Of course, Meles's vision and impact never stopped at Ethiopia's
borders. Across Africa, fellow leaders looked to Prime Minister Meles
to help them make peace and jumpstart their economies. He was
instrumental in building the African Union. He made IGAD deliver. He
confronted terrorism directly and countered violent extremists bent on
undermining the state and the region he did so much to build. He
worked vigorously to end bitter conflicts – from Burundi to Liberia.
He was crucial to the negotiation and implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan's tragic civil war.
Prime Minister Meles was midwife to the birth of the world's newest
state, the Republic of South Sudan, and he sought to nurse this
fragile progeny to strength.
I also can testify personally how much Ethiopia, under Prime Minister
Meles's leadership, has given to the United Nations and its lifesaving
efforts – from preventing and resolving conflict to striving to meet
the Millennium Development Goals, from combating climate change to
serving in UN peacekeeping operations, most recently in Abyei. These
contributions remind us that even nations facing their own challenges
can make vast contributions to our shared security.
On this mournful day, let me thank, in particular, President Girma,
Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam, and other government leaders for
their dignified and constitutional response to this sudden tragedy.
To the people of Ethiopia, we say: while Meles's loss is profound,
Ethiopia's greatness is undiminished. Our admiration for your
accomplishments is enduring. Your moving outpouring of grief and
dramatic displays of national unity in the face of this tragedy have
inspired us all. Your talents and strengths are those of a remarkable
people, far larger and deeper than any single remarkable man.
Ethiopia's future can and must be brighter. And, I am confident it
will be.
So, today, the United States re-commits to strengthening and deepening
our partnership with Ethiopia. We do so both in mutual interest and in
a spirit of mutual respect. As such, we will support Ethiopians as you
strengthen your institutions of state and build your democracy, even
as you continue to develop your economy and contribute generously to
peace and security across the continent. As always, we will encourage
peaceful political dialogue, civil society development, and protection
of human rights, including freedom of the press. As ever, we do not
promise always to agree, but we can promise always to engage
respectfully, candidly, and from a bedrock of firm friendship.
The legacy Meles leaves will long endure. But for the sake of the
youth and the next generations of Ethiopians, that legacy must be more
than a monument. It must be a foundation—a foundation for renewed
efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger—a foundation for development
that is sustainable and sustained—a foundation for deepening
Ethiopia's democracy and defending all of its citizens' inalienable
rights—and a foundation for peace and security across Africa and our
interwoven world.
Prime Minister Meles was an uncommon leader, a rare visionary, and a
true friend to me and many.
We all, my friend, will miss you mightily. May you rest well—and true
to your memory, may your beloved Ethiopia know a future of prosperity,
hope, and peace.
Thank you and God Bless.
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