We Will Keep Going

Amen Teferi

Foreign Affairs magazine once published an article that describes Ethiopia as “Africa’s next hegemon.” In fact, the article tried to impart to its readers the dismaying conditions of the country in 1991. The magazine continued to say “In 1991, as the Cold War drew to an end, the only African country that had never been colonized by European imperialists was but a pale reflection of the Great Ethiopia that generations of the kingdom’s monarchs had pursued.”

“Million people lay dead following two decades of civil war. Secessionist movements in the provinces clamored for self-determination. The economy was in tatters, and another catastrophic famine loomed. The world came to associate Ethiopia with images hoards of starving children, and the country’s regional and domestic decline opened questions about its very survival.” After 25 year, the Ethiopia has completely changed the perception that has been lingering in the minds of the world community.

It has taken groundbreaking pragmatic measure and has begun its move from the zero-ground. Hence, Ethiopia managed to pass through the difficult situation and has positioned itself to become “Africa’s next hegemon.”

Here we must raise important question. What is the secret of this transformation? In reading the above-cited two articles, surly, we can mine the secret of this transformation. For instance, if you see between the cracks of the sentences we will find the answer. As Harry Verhoeven said, “Mystical ancestry and military greatness provided legitimacy to Ethiopia’s rulers for centuries as they controlled their formidably diverse empire through a policy of violent internal assimilation.”  He then concluded, “The myth of greatness lay shattered.”

Forced assimilation does not help Ethiopia to keep going unperturbed. Evidently, the move to hold the empire coercively proved to be disastrous. The dictatorship that followed the imperial regime also had crumbled as rebel fighters from the countryside marched on Addis Ababa in May 1991.

Many observers were skeptical about the ability of the Horn of Africa’s once mightiest empire to reconstitute itself. When Eritrea voted for and got independence in 1993. There were many groups who had raised a claim for self-rule, which could in fact trigger total disintegration of the then Ethiopia. Now a quarter-century on, the mood in Ethiopia has completely changed.

The overthrow of the Soviet sponsored dictatorship has opened a new chapter in Ethiopian history. When EPRDF come to power, it promised a constitution that would respect the right of Ethiopia’s ninety-plus nations and nationalities to self-determination and took measure to abolish the political-economic inequities that had torn the country apart.

In the last ten-plus years, Ethiopia’s economy grew more than seven percent per year on average. It was the only African country to move at a pace comparable to the East Asian tigers—and to do so without a hydrocarbons boom or a huge mining sector. The economic miracle resulted in real pro-poor growth, lifting millions of people out of the vicious cycle of poverty, hunger, and poor health.

Ethiopia has achieved the 2000–15 Millennium Development Goals for child mortality. It is also likely to meet the goals set in combating HIV/AIDS and rolling back malaria. As Harry Verhoeven has said, Ethiopia is making giant strides in tackling income volatility and illiteracy. Millions of smallholder farmers are improving the productivity shackles that historically have kept them in abject poverty. 

The pragmatic and problem solver ruling party EPRDF charted a path that differs resoundingly from Washington Consensus recipes and laissez-faire economics and ensured Ethiopia’s economic resurgence. Ethiopia has become the prime example for a different economic and political path.

After three decades of civil war, the EPRDF manage to establish a durable political order that vigilantly seek autonomy from any external threats, builds functional institutions, and democratic governance.

The Ethiopian government has a vision to foster regional integration. Central to this vision is forging economic and political alliances among the Horn countries in particular and the African countries in general. In the mind of Ethiopia, its domestic and regional vision is closely entwined, which would be primarily fulfilled by casting off the shackles of poverty. Ethiopia is a prime example for the encouraging effort to rid Africa from the longstanding stigmatizing epithet: “the hopeless continent.” Ethiopia believes that forging regional alliances and fostering international cooperation would boost Ethiopian economy and consolidate its viable domestic governance.

Ethiopia has strong belief that solutions catered under foreign domination or tutelage is does not work. According to EPRDF, however enlightened and altruistic these foreign forces may be, it would be difficult and impossible for them to come-up with sustainable solution for the unique and long-standing problems that have destabilized Ethiopia for so long. A better suggestion could have been the formation of federal arrangement that recognizes the group rights of the nation, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. As we have practically proven, such an arrangement has enormously helped Ethiopia to stabilize itself.

Despite the fact that it has some challenges, that was the most suitable solution that had facilitated peaceful solution for the manifold political, economic, cultural or religious problems that had been affecting Ethiopia for centuries. With the proper policy at hand, the Ethiopian Government is working to implement homegrown solution. The federal arrangement has cemented the historical ties and mutual dependence of the people of Ethiopia. Thus, Ethiopia has delivered a solution to its longstanding ailments.

Recently we are seeing some unstabilities. Nonetheless,  we have every reason to believe that the Ethiopian government is in good shape that could allow it to be fully alive to all its responsibilities and meet them with wisdom and generosity. EPRDF is pragmatic, enlightened and forward-looking party that made remarkable progress in further improving the historical ties of the people of Ethiopia.

The rapid expansion of educational institutions will produce capable human capacity that would be instrumental in the progress Ethiopia made. With the progress achieved in this sector, Ethiopian renaissance will rest on solid foundations. Given ample time, it can make even faster progress in the future. Sure EPRDF was fully aware of the fact that the transition from bondage to emancipation is only possible through recognizing the individual and group rights of the nation, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. And it did the same.  Now the reason for hope in the future of Ethiopia is the political commitment of the ruling party as it declared in the statement issued last month.