BY FITSUM GETACHEW
It is now exactly five years since the reformist government has been sworn in with the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the head. Abiy Ahmed was immediately seen as a sort of savior of an embattled nation full of uncertainties and anxieties with the demise of the 27-year old regime that was considered as tyrannical. Citizens were almost desperate in the final months of the regime’s life when there were incessant speculations about who was to head this ancient land and how was it to survive all the contradictions that were noted along the road.
People were informed about the incessant closed door meetings of the hierarchs of the ruling party EPRDF and with the resignation of the then Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn, the uncertainty got even deeper and the country was navigating in uncharted seas. There were various kinds of suppositions, conjectures and presumptions but no clear cut solutions were emerging out of the talks. One thing was clear for everyone.
The months of unrest and protests carried out in many areas in the country particularly in Oromia Region and Amhara regional state signaled the end of the establishment as we knew it for 27 years. What was very difficult to imagine was how things will change and into which direction they would move. A compromise with the old regime was unthinkable because people said they were fed up of one group’s hegemony and that a new rule must be introduced.
Hence a new face was being prospected and the name of such a person was kept in the dark. The more the days passed the more the anxiety of instability of the country and the risks of conflicts or chaos. We were all concerned about the next move of the EPRDF because the very integrity of the country could be at risk and there are many from inside as well as outside who would jump with joy if Ethiopia was to be disintegrated. It should be noted that Ethiopia has several historical enemies and its geopolitical situation makes it even more vulnerable to outside interference which would definitely be at the expense of its long established dignity, freedom and integrity.
Finally the new chairman of the EPRDF was announced and relief was felt by all. The relatively unknown quantity that was Abiy Ahmed did raise some questions and doubts in many minds but most preferred to wait to give him the benefit of doubt to discover what sort of personality he could be. Some words came out about how he had been an emerging figure in the EPRDF and was an enlightened leader given his background as minister of science and technology and chief of the national security office called ENSA. People who knew him closely came out to declare his qualities as a strong, modern and hardworking leader well acquainted with the issues in Ethiopian politics and history and that he was an inspirational leader who showed his colleagues by working round the clock.
During the day of his investiture he practically exploded in the eyes of all Ethiopians as a true nationalist citizen who had at heart the cause of the country first and foremost. His speech on the inauguration was very enlightening of his personality and moved Ethiopians with great pleasure. His continuous reference to the country, Ethiopia, and his belief in the Almighty, sparked huge enthusiasm among citizens. No wonder because they never heard such words from the mouth of any EPRDF official.
One friend of mine told me that Abiy Ahmed deserved to be supported even for his approach towards the country, his call for one united nation and his desire to make peace with neighboring Eritrea calling it a brotherly country. His speech did not sound as one that we were all accustomed with as delivered by EPRDF officials. It truly looked like a new era of reform. Many came to believe that a new era of Ethiopian politics was being inaugurated after 27 years.
As we try to cover an overview of the five years of this reformer and his party there have been registered definitely undeniable achievements in the country even if his critics may disagree while there are also weaknesses that were observed along the years even if his ardent admirers do not want to hear about them. However, it is good to note that he himself has admitted that for various reasons there were challenges he and his government officials could not come over. There is of course no need to deny the evident both in the positive as well as in the less so.
Many people say that among the first and greatest achievements of the reformist government is the activities carried out with respect to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, GERD and the continuous battle in the international arena that tried to abort this flagship project so crucial for the prospects of the country and beyond.
This government has managed to navigate in those turbulent waters disregarding the rhetoric some countries such as Egypt and its partners tried to use to intimidate Ethiopia while it was engaged in filling the dam with the water despite the threats and intimidations at times even blackmail of those who have lined up with Egypt. This government has fulfilled the expectations of citizens and the construction has continued even in the face of various kinds of crisis not least economic but also political and diplomatic.
Ethiopians of all walks of life have rallied behind Abiy Ahmed’s (PhD) government to ensure that the construction does not get interrupted or fail. It would have been an unprecedented disaster for the country particularly for its economic future. It would have betrayed not only the expectations of Ethiopians but even those in the sub region who have begun to see it as an example to be emulated.
Another huge challenge that this government has come over is the huge international pressure it was subjected to in the wake of the conflict in the north that began in November 2020. They were two critical years for the integrity and sovereignty of the country and the government has managed to thwart this danger both in the battle ground as well as in the diplomatic world albeit with tremendous cost.
In this context the Pretoria peace deal with TPLF is a noteworthy achievement with all its uncertainties. Silencing the guns in Africa always needs a huge effort and sacrifice in the inevitable compromise. As stated several times by the premier himself to win the war needs courage and sacrifice as to win the peace.
One of the strengths this government has and could be cited as remarkable is the introduction of new faces into the cabinet particularly qualified women. No other government in Ethiopian history has given so much prominence to its women citizens including the post of head of state. The records show that a government with good participation of women is better than those with no regard to them and monopolized by men.
This government can also be appreciated for the engagement of completing unfinished projects and bring them to fruition rather than continuously starting new ones and waste lots of resources without completing them. The premier boldly said we will not launch new huge projects but complete those already initiated and lagging behind and we do not begin any projects that we are not sure to complete.
The Green Legacy Initiative can be recorded as one of the monumental successes of the government as it managed to mobilize millions of citizens to take part in this project of planting over 20 billion seedlings in four years. In fact more were planted and the idea was even exported to neighboring countries so that climate change is alleviated with such initiatives. Awareness has been created with a wide and prolonged campaign at all levels explaining why it is critical to plant trees and reduce not only soil erosion and land degradation but also reduce emissions and have more regular rain. This effort has been hailed by environmentalists all over the world.
The fact that the premier was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 has been regarded as a prestigious moment for Ethiopia because it is not only unprecedented but it is also a recognition for the good work the premier did to reach a peaceful solution with Eritrea and his attempts to bring peace to other neighboring countries as well. This moment attracted the international audience towards Ethiopia.
Undeniably, Ethiopia has undergone various crises during the past five years including conflicts, violence, eviction and displacement of people in several areas, drought that killed millions of cattle in the south, the world wide crisis of COVID 19 as well as the fallouts of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict that is destabilizing the world economy. All these crises have definitely impacted the efforts of the government and the lives of millions in the negative. The continuous inflationary trend has also been beyond the capacity of the government despite all the efforts such as the Home Grown Economic Reform.
Unemployment is still a hard nut to crack and critics say the capacity of the government to cope with security issues that have resulted in the acts of armed groups such as Shene killing innocent people in terrorist attacks here and there have been attributed to the indulgence or not so drastic stance the government should have taken or resolve the issue with negotiations as fast as possible.
The government has recently declared that new attempts have been launched to solve this sad problem that has also tarnished the image of the country in the eyes of international observers. Ethiopia needs to reflect a good image and invite tourists who this government believes should be stimulated by launching new and attractive resorts and parks. In fact many have been completed and put in service while new ones are in the making.
In any case, huge challenges await us and the government has not denied it. But no one can do miracles and there is need for more work and more time to face all these challenges and deliver better results. Obviously people do not have so much patience especially when the issues become one of ‘to be not to be’ and while the past five years may have shown us a bit of what positive things could be achieved with hard and well managed efforts, nevertheless many say there is also a long way to go before we can say Ethiopia’s future can be written in golden words. That is why the efforts cannot be left to one party or group but to everyone because we all have a stake in our destiny.
The Ethiopian Herald April 13/2023
