Category: Opinion

By: Biruk Haregu (PhD student in Public Policy and Political Economy, and a Pre-Doctoral Fellow at...

During the past 5 years, Abiy’s approach to economic policy— Abiynomics— has demonstrably proven to be non-strategic, misaligned, confused, and socioeconomically ruinous.  First, the principal strategic error is the abrupt shift in economic policy from the robust industrial parks policy that aimed to develop and strengthen manufacturing and industry in Ethiopia, to Abiy’s hodgepodge initiatives spanning cosmetic construction projects, agricultural initiatives, and mass privatization…

On October 3rd, 2023, the European Union (EU) dithered and officially backed the dictatorship of Abiy Ahmed in Ethiopia.  No matter what preconditions were put forth by the continental body, it is now clear that EU has turned its back on citizens seeking justice and accountability over the horrific two-year long civil war in Northern Ethiopia, and the ongoing civil war that Abiy is waging against the Amhara.  More broadly, the EU’s decision is a grave disservice to Ethiopians across the country.

For close and discerning observers of Ethiopian politics, it is increasingly evident that Abiy’s principal objective is power consolidation through the complete disarmament and demobilization of the Amhara regional forces and by extension the Amhara region— a force and region that he fears is a threat to his authoritarian inclinations.  Unsurprisingly, the haphazard and unjust policy decree has been met with a widespread popular resistance movement and insurgency throughout the Amhara region.  Amharas view the deployment of federal forces into the region as an attempt to subjugate the people and the region to the whims of Abiy and his Oromo Prosperity Party; while at the same time, exposing the region and its people to security threats emanating from other armed groups, namely the TPLF, Oromo special forces, and Oromo Liberation Army.

By way of introduction, the writers of this letter were members of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Economic Advisory Council, until our resignation. One of us was Deputy Global Manager of the ICP that is housed in the World Bank and cosponsored by many international agencies including the IMF. We write with a reasonably sufficient knowledge of the Ethiopian Government and your institutions.

This discussion paper is prepared with inputs from many prominent individuals and
groups in Ethiopia and abroad. A preliminary survey in which 556 participants took part
shows 67.6% support the proposed international campaign. This discussion document
is shared with the public to foster discussion by all stakeholder at home and abroad. The
purpose is not to form a new organization. To contact author, Email:[email protected]

The World Food Program reports that “Ethiopia has made important development gains over
the past two decades, reducing poverty and expanding investments in basic social services.
However, food insecurity and malnutrition are still a major concern across the country; an
estimated 20.4 million people currently require food support. This includes internally displaced
persons (IDPs), who have had to leave their homes due to the conflict in the country’s north
and the severe drought in south and southeast.” This is a huge challenge that must be
addressed now.

Abiy has learned the hard way that in terms of power, Addis Ababans who defeated the tribalization of Addis Ababa schools pale in comparison to the EOTC. No institution in the entire continent of Africa has the power to mobilize support in comparison to EOTC. Apart from the Church’s institutional architecture that commands over 60 million members, other social institutions from ጽዋ to እድር are associated with the Orthodox social enterprise.

In today’s Ethiopia, ethnonationalist movements have continued to fuel inter-ethnic animosity and violence that continue to further weaken the country. A tolerant political culture and social capital that had long defined Ethiopians have become a thing of the past. Now that a possibility of religious violence is added to the list of problems that threaten the peace, the fragile state of Ethiopia is facing a major catastrophe that should not be taken lightly.

Today, the Abiy Administration upped its threat by telling the Church they cannot protest during the Sunday prayer session. Over a million Orthodox followers are expected to attend Church services to pray for the wellbeing of their Church. Obviously, the mass will overflow outside of Church compounds. This is common in Ethiopia when churches and mosques gather for prayer and peaceful protest.

The international community that is financing the Abiy administration has moral responsibility to ensure bullets that were bought with their funds are not used to kill Christians. In recent months, the Abiy government has been piling weapons and the PM has threatened the Church and its followers that his administration has tools that it has not used in the past.