ADDIS ABABA —The conflict underway in Ethiopia is a proxy war not a war between federal government and terrorist TPLF, but Ethiopia will neutralize the threat soon and ensure peace, democracy and development, said State Minister of Finance.
In his latest interview with international media based in India, Finance State Minister Eyob Tekalign (PhD) said Ethiopia is facing a very serious challenge these days. Ethiopia is very important for the entire region as its instability would potentially affect the rest of the region. Any proxy war against Ethiopia never succeeds, Ethiopia will prevail.
Acknowledging India for its support at critical time, he said that Ethiopia has never got threatened as a result of western propaganda, and Ethiopia and India’s long-lasting bilateral relationship will be further consolidated.
“It is very important to understand the genesis of this conflict in Ethiopia. Three years ago when the Prime Minister Abiy came to power, sweeping reform across political, social and economic spaces were introduced aimingat creating stronger and united Federal Ethiopia that works for all its citizens, but TPLF refused and did everything it can to abort the reform process,” he highlighted.
TPLF started the war byattacking the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), he said adding then the amount of damage that has been inflected on the people of Tigray, Amhara, Afar and to larger portion of Ethiopians has been very painful.
“As this is a group denied the opportunity for peace and because of the nature of atrocious move it followed, Ethiopians from all corners have mobilized to tell the mafia group in the language it can understand with a view to bringing Ethiopia back to normal process of peace and democracy as well as development soon,” he opined.
TPLF could hardly make the federal system effective, but Ethiopia has responded to the quest of regional self-determination of two states after the withdrawal of the terrorist group, he said.
He said the federal democratic state is the only way to come together and that is exactly what the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) is doing and striving to make the federal system of the country to be democraticwithout creating division among Ethiopians. “Regarding AGOA we are hopeful theU.S. will reconsider its position before January first,” he underscored.
BY MULATU BELACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD NOVEMBEBER 16/2021
