ADDIS ABABA – The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) said that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s (PhD) come to public office putting the country on the right track towards democratic government and competitive and open politics.
Recently, the Institute released the report in Global State of Democracy 2019 under the theme ‘Addressing the Ills, Reviving the Promise.’ Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Africa and West Asia Program Director with International IDEA, Professor Adebayo O. Olukoshi said that Premier Abiy’s seizure of public power has been bringing momentaneous changes in widening of political space and his gestures towards reconciliation witnessed in the coming back of formerly exiled politicians.
The professor noted that Ethiopia is turning a new page which will be written in terms of competitive and reasoned politics that is truly an inspiration to many countries not just in Africa, but beyond.
He expressed optimism that government’s move towards democracy has a better chance of delivering all of the desirable outcomes in Ethiopia including fostering nation building, ensuring citizens welfare and accountable government as well as consolidating the fight against corruption and maladministration.
Tough the environment is being created in Ethiopia for a proper journey towards democratization, building a democratic nation in the turbulent Horn of Africa, aggravated by the prevalence of terrorist groups and extra-regional powers and influences, is not going to be an easy task.
“The presence of Al-Shabab in Somalia, the war in Yemen and the contest of global powers in the Red Sea area could make Ethiopia’s move to democratization a difficult mission and all Ethiopians need to join hands together to change the narrative about their country.”
Sharing the idea echoed by Professor Olukoshi, International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora stated that building democratic institutions in countries that are still facing development challenges is a problematic undertaking.
“Building democracies in the developing countries is twice difficult from the developed world and the Ethiopian government has to walk a long way to protect the democratic openings that happened here during the past two years.”
For his part, Olukoshi said that the election will have to be conducted in involving multiple parties and the process of doing the unfinished business of state building will also have to continue. Likewise, government’s huge investment to improve the livelihoods of the people and ensure welfare of the society should keep the current momentum.
There is also a lot which Ethiopia may share from the success fellow Africans witnessed in building democratic cultures and could adopt to its own historic and cultural context in order to address the aspirations of the population as the second most populous nation in the continent, he remarked.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 10/2020
BY BILAL DERSO
