Category: Opinion
The idea of global Ethiopia is an architectural narrative scheme to unpack Ethiopia and the global intellectual and cultural movement it has inspired. Through systematic exploration of ancient mythologies, historical records, biblical verses and contemporary events, the various strands of…
Ethnic-based political party systems tend to be unstable and violent Ethiopian ethnic consciousness is strong and elites operate in groups Way forward is for ethnic parties to team up in integrated alliances Although rarely mentioned in constitutions, there is no…
High growth has been driven by increasing government spending Low tax-take and stodgy t-bill market meant borrowing to plug deficit Market reforms and fiscal framework needed to improve management Ethiopia’s economic growth of the past decade has mainly been driven…
Successful democratic change requires scrutiny of reforming authorities. Not shaming those who dare to air critical views about the powers that be. A few weeks ago, while discussing my impressions of Dr. Abiy and his premiership, a friend took offense…
(Editors’ note: This article is published as a response to Alemayehu Weldemariam’s Ethiopia Observer commentary headlined Ethiopia’s Charismatic Leader: Riding the Wave of Populism or Reforming Ethnic Federalism? The original version of this response was published on the author’s Facebook…
Reforming Government pursing privatizations and trade liberalization Ethiopia lacks institutional capacity to manage overlapping commitments Weak financial and manufacturing industries may suffer from competition If you follow international trade, you may be feeling both excited and anxious. Excited because Africa…
Preaching unity is one thing, but the Prime Minister’s methods risk undermining the political system that ties Ethiopia’s federation together. Abiy Ahmed must capitalize on his brilliant and bold beginning with careful, inclusive reforms. “But even regarding History as the…
June 23, 2018 is not a day that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will easily forget. That morning he spoke at a rally where a huge Meskal Square crowd gathered to enthusiastically support his reforms and message of tolerance. The joyous…
Although the peace offering to Eritrea was a collective decision, there are indications of incoherence within Ethiopia’s ruling coalition. Notably, a crucial player, the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front, does not seem to be fully on board. Following the surprise announcement…
In recent years, no other Ethiopian state-owned enterprise has been subjected to as much criticism as the Metals and Engineering Corporation, a military-industrial conglomerate. It has been blamed for obtaining contracts without bids, supplying sub-standard products, delaying mega projects, and…