Category: Profile

Interview with Gérard Prunier (First part)

Gérard Prunier is a writer and researcher on socio-political issues, specialising in the Horn of Africa on which he has published numerous articles and books. Born in Paris and studied both in France and in the US, Prunier received a…
Former Amharic teacher shares the Cuban story

In the 1980s, as part of its revolutionary commitment to international cooperation, Cuba provided scholarships to Ethiopians and other African nationals. On La Isla de la Juventud, the Isle of Youth, were four specially designed schools where thousands of Ethiopian…
Asfaw Damte recalls Mengistu Lemma

Mengistu Lemma (1928-1988) was a leading Ethiopian playwright, novelist, poet, and scholar, who in the words of the late Prof. Richard Pankhurst may be considered the Molière, Bernard Shaw, or Gogol of Ethiopia. In this extract from interviews conducted on…
The adventures of Ethiopians educated in Cuba

It’s been a year since the death of Fidel Castro, the iconic leader of the Cuban Revolution, who left a complicated legacy—some heralding him as a liberating hero and others decrying him as a ruthless dictator. For Ethiopians, Castro’s legacy…
In his own words: Ambassador Ahadou Sabouré

In our third instalment, the renowned journalist and diplomat talks about his appointment as minister of information which lasted less than three months, and governorship of the Haraghe province before his detainment by the military regime. Minister of Information for…