BY SOLOMON DIBABA
The year 2020 was full of major international events which have potentially changed the trend of events across the globe in the years to come. Among other things, the devastating socioeconomic nightmare induced by COVID-19 Virus, the resurgence of economic nationalism in the form of trade protectionism and tariff war between the major economic magnets, namely the USA and China, US decision to withdraw from the W.H.O.
World Environmental Forum and other international trade consortiums, the advent of Briexit, the most controversial election that culminated in a landslide win for Democrats in the 2020 US Election, global economic down turn triggered by COVID-19 are only few of the events that shaped the global socio-economic and political trajectory in the world.
Over the year 2020, Ethiopia experienced landmark events and activities that would remain recorded in the history of the country. The national reform program that kicked off in 2019 surfaced up with its ardent supporters and adversaries engaged in fierce battle between those who pushed for reforms and those who fought to maintain a repressive and oppressive socio-economic and political status quo that was headed by TPLF leadership and its cliques.
Since the inception of the national reform program introduced by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, TPLF masterminded open and clandestine ethnic conflicts has been covering almost all the major regions in the country. Ethnic conflicts and race-based assassinations were orchestrated by the enemies of the national reform program supported by TPLF and its supporters.
Amnesty International and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission’s reports vividly demonstrated that TPLF has organized mass massacres in Mai-Kadra, Humera, Metekel Zone, Konso in SNNPR, Gulisso in Oromia and where in the country.
The 2020 was a year in which the sovereignty and unity of the peoples of Ethiopia was threatened while the constitutional foundations of the rule of law was trampled in the most unlawful election conducted by TPLF in gross violation of the legal prerogatives of National Electoral Board of Ethiopia.
Despite the fact that Ethiopia was conducting massive policy and strategic reforms to promote democracy and good governance, major international media companies aligned with TPLF in broadcasting massive misinformation, defamation and distortion of facts about the country while the outgoing President of the USA, Donald Trump suggested the aerial bombardment of GERD in the most irresponsible diplomatic communication in favor of Egypt.
It is regrettable to recall that even some members of the US senate became victims of TPLF misinformation campaign in calling for economic sanctions on Ethiopia for its rightful action of ascertaining the rule of law in Tigray Region.
Throughout the year 2020, massive arms and human trafficking, bureaucratic sabotages were all staged to ensure unnecessary delays to frustrate Ethiopia’s quest for peace and development.
Political assassination of a prominent Oromo singer, Hacalu Hundessa was planned to be used to create a total civil war in the country and ensure the balkanization of the country and for preparing a favorable ground for TPLF for its hegemony in Ethiopia.
The unabated spread of COVID-19 virus in Ethiopia led to the closure of schools and universities in the country while hotel and catering industries in the country were also hit by the pandemic. Manufacturing industries were also heavily affected by shortage of hard currency which was resulted from poor foreign trade performance.
However, all was not bleak for Ethiopia in 2020. The Ethiopian government effectively tacked the effects of COVID-19 economic challenges by taking timely fiscal and monetary measures including changes on bank notes and other economic measures that helped to sustain the challenges from COVID 19.
Regional governments were supported to engage in agricultural modernization through the development of middle and higher level irrigation schemes for boosting food production and productivity.
The government took important measures in public mobilization to support citizens affected by the pandemic in curbing further spread of the virus.
Credit goes to all stakeholders in the government and the private sector who joined hands to share resources with needy citizens whose livelihood was shattered by the outcomes of the pandemic.
Throughout the year 2020, the construction of GERD has continued with closer public financial support and government commitment to complete the dam. The year 2020 also witnesses the first round filling on the dam while the trilateral negotiations were held with Sudan and Egypt.
Strong government commitment and leadership prevented any level of economic recession the country could have faced while some sectors of the economic also continued growing.
It is very important to recognize by the domestic and international role of the Ethiopian Airlines Group in not only staying intact in the aviation industry while major international airlines became bankrupt.
The group was able not only to retain its operational and administrative staff but it has also managed to gain badly needed currency for the country.
In the middle of the challenges that the country had to face, Ethiopia has managed to keep up to its international expectation of peace keeping despite TPLF’s protracted conspiracy and destructive and anti-human, anti-Ethiopian treason.
The year 2020 was also a year in which Ethiopians here and in the diaspora demonstrated their time tested unity in facing any challenge the country could face.
The peoples of Ethiopia moved in unison for supporting the armed forces of the country after the tragic and inhuman treason that TPLF has committed in massacring some members of the armed forces of the Northern Command.
Having liberated the peoples of Tigray from the most oppressive TPLF rule, the entire country is gradually coming to peace while the rule of law is being enforced across the nation. Political parties and the citizens have started to prepare for the upcoming election as a transition to full-fledged democratic system via ensuring credible, fair and democratic election.
This year, Ethiopia will start to generate electric power from GERD as major step towards the completion of the entire flagship project. For Ethiopia, the road to democracy and prosperity might appear to be torturous but the country will remain victorious as usual.
Over the new European coming year, Ethiopia will crown its journey towards a democratic system with more profound socio-economic development programs to alleviate poverty and destitution from its soil.
The Ethiopian herald January 1/2021
