By Mel Tewahade, Infinity Wealth Management
In May of 2018, Ethiopian parliament elected Dr. Abiy Ahmed to replace the previous Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desaglen, who resigned from his Premiership one month before. Dr. Abiy Ahmed was 41 years old, a retired Colonel in Ethiopia Armed Forces and a previous minister of Technology, in a short time frame, he made tremendous progress in moving Ethiopia towards civil society and away from totalitarian rule, saved Ethiopia from implosion and possible renewed civil war.
His words and promises were quickly followed by tangible actions. He removed the State of Emergency that his predecessors imposed, pardoned political parties and invited individuals back to the country who were previously labeled terrorists. He allowed opposition parties to participate peacefully in shaping the future of the country. He released most political prisoners, fired and arrested some of the more reckless military and civil leaders who participated in the rampant corruption and appointed new cabinet members in his government who did not have a record of misdeeds to their names. Abiy also appointed an unprecedented number of women to cabinet positions. Dr Abiy Ahmed , found a way to go to neighboring Eritrea and solve the border dispute. He was able to make peace with Eritrea that had problematic relations with Ethiopia. Eritrea and Ethiopia were engaged in a very destructive war since 1961.
Abiy quickly started running a routine class to talk about civil society. He challenged the population to look at our recent brutal history and ask ourselves what we have done to cause ourselves such disruption, human suffering, economic ruin and famine.
Prime Minister Abiy’s positive message was not unanimously accepted and did not resonate among all Ethiopians. In the summer of 2018, he escaped an assassination attempt on his life during a huge public rally in Addis Ababa. His own army walked into the palace and tried to displace him shortly thereafter.
By awarding the Nobel Prize to Dr. Abiy Ahmed, the Noble committee, in its infinite wisdom, honored Ethiopia and many in third world countries. We see a bright future and see hope for a more equitable, more just and fruitful life in our region. The award will give Abiy Ahmed the prestige he needs to fix the problems so that we can build peaceful Ethiopia from the ground up. East Africa and the entire continent of Africa is having a sense of confidence and renewed optimism. Ethiopia’s stability will create great opportunity for the developed world to invest and prosper Ethiopia and itself. The county has vast arable land and a large labor pool. No, doubt in my mind that Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan will have social and economic renewal.
Image Credit: Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Photo: GCIS)