Ethiopian Articles and Opinions

Flight ET409 Exposes Lebanon's Racist Underbelly

January 28, 2010 | The Huffington Post

Even though there were nine nationalities aboard the Boeing 737 jet which burst into flames and crashed into the sea minutes after taking off in a violent thunderstorm on Monday morning, the Lebanese, naturally enough, only concerned themselves with one.

54 Lebanese, almost all from the country's predominately Shiite southern region, are probably dead and the nation's outpouring of grief has been intense.

Experts worry over land grab by foreigners in Ethiopia

Ethiopian Farm Land For Lease

By Genet Mersha - August 13, 2009

During the last one year, the international media have reported with noticeable frequency on international agricultural land deals in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, land is under government control and, therefore, cannot be sold or bought. Of the dozen or so African countries engaged in such deals, for varied reasons the cases of Ghana, Madagascar, Mali and the Sudan have also attracted similar attention. Perhaps the only commonality between Ethiopia and these countries is that they are all far ahead of others in that experience, as they have concluded several international farmland lease deals in the past five years. Nevertheless, much of the information is still under wraps.

In Ethiopia, prime minister's words, actions not in step

By Mohamed Keita - July 11, 2009

This week, in an exclusive interview with the Financial Times, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi suggested that the press in his country freely expresses dissent. In fact, that is hardly the case. The Horn of Africa nation remains one of the world's worst backsliders of press freedom.

Asked whether a series of recent arrests of political dissidents and legislation on civil society organizations and terrorism had "contributed to an atmosphere where people do not feel free to speak," the prime minister responded: "Have you read the local newspapers? Do they mince their words about government?"

Will Ethiopia’s PM step down?

June 24, 2009| Reuters

Posted by: Barry Malone

They say that the foundation of a good retirement is planning. By that measure, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi should have his rest period well laid out. The rebel-turned-leader has been saying he wants to step aside for almost two years now.

But after 18 years at the helm of one of the world’s poorest countries the 54-year-old is still in power and says he is trapped by the wishes of his ruling party. They will discuss his desire to retire at an executive committee meeting next month and a September congress would give him the opportunity to ask the party for his twilight years.

Ethiopia - WOULD MELES ZENAWI TRULY DEPART, AS HE HAS PROMISED, OR WOULD HE BECOME THE GREY EMINENCE OF ETHIOPIAN POLITICS?

By Genet Mersha - June 22, 2009

ANXIETY-RIDDEN TPLF EDGING THE PRECIPICE OVER 2010 ELECTION
Part III
The deepening economic, political and security problems in Ethiopia have exerted extreme pressures on the TPLF, especially in the course of the last few years. Without a doubt, these conditions have made TPLF’s hold on power increasingly tenuous.

Who will be the next Ethiopian PM?

Ethiopian Health Minister, Dr Tedross Ghebreyesus, making his opening remarks

June 1, 2009

By Simegnish Yekoye
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Next year Ethiopians will go to the polls once again and the political maneuvering has already started. Following the election, Ethiopian parliament will also choose the next Prime Minister to serve for the next four years.

On different interviews he gave to international and local Medias, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi kept on saying he wants to leave office at the next election, but is up to his party to make the final decision.

Ethiopia - Would Meles Zenawi Tuly Depart as He Has Promised? Part II

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi June 8, 2009

Click Part I

Part II

By Genet Mersha

WHY LOOK FOR MOTIVES IN PM’S INTEREST IN QUITTING?

Information tested through experience, or familiarity with the subject matter or a person often influences attitude and thus somewhat determines its acceptance or rejection. Not that such information is always right, but perception in most instances mirrors reality. Ethiopians understand that leaders come and leaders go; nobody is indispensable. In the case of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s, there are stones in citizens’ shoes that for a long time have been unavoidable cause for national discomfort.

Ethiopia's Gibe III dam: a balanced assessment

By Seleshi Bekele and Jonathan Lautze
June 4, 2009

A project its size will have negative consequences, but Ethiopians should be better off once the hydroelectric dam is up and running.

The Gilgel Gibe III hydroelectric dam under construction in Ethiopia is no small piece of infrastructure. It holds the potential to fundamentally alter flow patterns in the Omo River watershed and will cost about $2 billion to build. It will indeed have impacts -- both positive and negative -- on the environment and people living in the watershed.

Ethiopia - Would Meles Zenawi Truly Depart as He Has Promised?

By Genet Mersha
Published on May 31, 2009
Part I
Surely, since the last few months, in what has already become his studied line, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has repeatedly spoken of his desire to resign, if his party agrees with his request. However, due to the existential lack of trust between citizens and government, his declaration has been viewed with all sorts of doubts and distrust, if not indifference.

Big dam, bigger problems

By Lori Pottinger | LA TIMES
May 14, 2009

Right now, the Obama administration is participating in its first annual meeting of the African Development Bank, which is mandated to fund critical infrastructure for poor African nations. On the agenda is financing one of the biggest projects ever considered by the bank, the $2.1-billion Gilgel Gibe III dam in Ethiopia.

The U.S. government has contributed more than $400 million in the last three years to the African Development Bank. It is also Ethiopia's largest aid donor, giving upward of $450 million a year for everything from food and water to military assistance. American taxpayers have a responsibility to ensure that this money is well spent.

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