Ethiopian Americans are disappointed by President Obama's Speech to the African Union extending trading partnerships "...I want Africans and Americans doing more business together in more sectors, in more countries. So we’re increasing trade missions to places like Tanzania, Ethiopia Mozambique. ...".

These are the facts:

I. Tanzania and Mozambique (mentioned in the speech) and Kenya (visited by the President) are Threshold Compact Agreement parties with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC - an American Agency). They have submitted their leadership to minimum thresholds and periodic monitoring therefore challenging themselves towards better leadership, human rights, women's rights, property rights etc.

II. The Ethiopian Government is not an MCC Threshold Compact Partner nor has it compensated Ethiopian/Americans whose assets have been confiscated.

Our questions

1. Why does the Ethiopian Government deserve an American partnership similar to those we have with Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya.

2. Does the President believe a "watered-down" version of property rights and democratic governance is "good enough" for Ethiopia?

Our demands

As a life-long Democrat and an Ethiopian/American, I started this petition to encourage the Democratic Party Leadership to hold the Ethiopian Government to the same standards the United States has for other MCC Threshold Compact Partners. The Ethiopian Government continues to hold and in fact has sold assets of Americans while encouraging new American investment establishing a double standard and a nepotistic investment environment. The Ethiopian/American community is intelligent, informed, educated and closely follows the economic and political realities in Ethiopia. We are engaged American voters that have legitimate grievances that must be addressed before any aid or trade overtures are made towards the current Ethiopian Government.

Please sign our petition here and on change.org