110 HRES 550 EH: Congratulating the people of Ethiopia on the U.S. House of Representatives 2007-11-05 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 550 In the House of Representatives, U. S., November 5, 2007 RESOLUTION Congratulating the people of Ethiopia on the second millennium of Ethiopia, and for other purposes.

Whereas Ethiopia is a proud country with a long, rich history; Whereas the earliest known hominid, internationally known as Lucy and classified as the Australopithecus Afarensis, was found in Ethiopia; Whereas in the 9th century, Ethiopians discovered coffee beans in what is now known as the Kaffa region; Whereas Lalibela, a group of 11 medieval monolithic rock-hewn churches, was constructed in the 13th-century during the Zagwe Dynasty; Whereas in 1978, Lalibela was recognized on the World Heritage List as a property considered to have outstanding universal cultural value by the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Whereas in the mid-19th century, Emperor Tewodros II began the modernization of Ethiopia and led a successful campaign to unify Ethiopia; Whereas the proud and courageous people of Ethiopia defeated the invading Italian army in the Battle of Adowa in 1896; Whereas United States-Ethiopian relations were established on December 27, 1903, by Emperor Menelik II and President Theodore Roosevelt; Whereas since then, the Ethiopian-American community has grown to become the second largest African immigrant group in the United States; Whereas in 1908, European colonial powers recognized Ethiopia’s borders and sovereignty; Whereas in 1923, Ethiopia officially banned the slave trade; Whereas in 1923, Ethiopia joined the League of Nations; Whereas Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that was never colonized, with the exception of the 6 years of occupation by the Fascist government of Italy; Whereas Ethiopia played an important role in the struggle for freedom for many African countries during the colonial period; Whereas in 1930, Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned as Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia; Whereas Emperor Haile Selassie modernized Ethiopia, kept the country united, and largely peaceful; Whereas in 1974, Emperor Haile Selassie was ousted from power through a military coup by the Derg junta and Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam was installed as Head of State; Whereas in May 1991, the brutal Mengistu dictatorship came to an end after a 17-year reign of terror; Whereas Ethiopia was a founding member of the United Nations and one of the original drafters of the Security Council Charter; Whereas Ethiopia played a pivotal role in creating the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), which was founded on May 25, 1963; Whereas Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, became the headquarters of the OAU and remains the headquarters of its successor, the African Union; and Whereas the 8th African Union Summit, held from January 29-30, 2007, officially declared the second Ethiopian millennium as the second African millennium: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)congratulates the people of Ethiopia on the second millennium of Ethiopia; (2)recognizes the long, rich history of Ethiopia; (3)commends Ethiopia’s contribution to peace and stability on the African continent through the role it played in the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU); (4)recognizes the longstanding relationship between Ethiopia and the United States; (5)commends the organizers of the second millennium celebration in Ethiopia and the United States; and (6)commends the peaceful and jubilant celebration of the second millennium of Ethiopia.

Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk.