Zeresenay Zeleke (PhD)Ethiopia was left with little option other than defending itself when the super powers waged a war against it in support of domestic terrorists. No different for Ethiopia, peace and security are the minimum public goods a government should deliver to its citizens. Unfortunately, war is not a unilaterally avoidable evil. This is particularly true in the current world where a tense fight between those who want to assert their freedom and continue their greed hegemony is prevalent.
Bamlak FekaduCurrent and past administrations have tried to tap into the potential of Ethiopians living abroad. As much as there always has been the understanding that the diaspora can play a greater role in the Ethiopian economy, politics has always taken over the way in which government looks at this vast community.
The Ethiopian diaspora—vocal in their criticism of local politics—has long been regarded as a threat to government. Hence, they have been alienated from social, political, and economic activities of their home country. For the most part, the nation has not been able to tap into the opportunities of economic potential which the community possesses.
The recent mobilization of the diaspora in the diplomatic arena gives an insight into their economic potential. If mobilized upon the appropriate strategy, they can play a greater role beyond remittance and direct financial support to be investors and champions of investment, writes EBR’s Bamlak Fekadu.
Abiy WendifrawEthiopian football has not progressed to the best interest of football fans. Participation at international tournaments has been a luxury the national football has barely afforded through the years. As much as on-the-pitch criticism has been evident, financial constraints have also challenged the development of football and Ethiopian sports in general. Robust marketing and stronger support to regional federations could be the way forward, writes Abiy Wendifraw.
Gutu Merdasa (PhD)The Revival of Pan-Africanism
Kudos to the children of Ethiopia and Eritrea who stipulated these inspiring, but also resentful words, which went viral hours after being expressed to now be echoed by tens of millions across the world. Africans—and all Black people for that matter—who are sick and tired of neocolonialists and their non-stop attempts at reasserting their fading hegemony are continuing to welcome the movement. As part of another desperate move by waning Western influences, Ethiopia has once again been targeted at an unprecedented scale and manner as the West continues to take advantage of the current political instability in the country. In undermining the government’s attempts at enforcing law and order against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) tyrants, America and its Western allies have impeded on the right for self-governance of the government. They continue to support TPLF as it had served their interests in the Horn of Africa region during the past three decades of power.
Mohammed Bedewi (PhD)It’s the beginning of the end of Western-hegemony
The war that has been waged against Ethiopia by neo-colonists is not like ones encountered before. It is multifaceted, congruent, and coordinated on several fronts, employing every possible way to enact regime change with the anticipation of complete disarray, and a civil war that proceeded to create a complete collapse.
It also set an unprecedented level of convergence between neocolonial powers, which were otherwise known to pursue unreconciled stances on several spheres. The inexplicability of this unholy alliance between these groups remains to be a mystery and a puzzle for many. Moreover, what exactly Ethiopia has done to deserve such a level of hostility and conspiracy makes the puzzle even worse deep in the cynics.
Habtamu Kitaba (MBA)Share companies are one form of business organization that often issue shares to raise capital for operational and strategic reasons. In other countries, shares of public companies are traded on regulated stock exchanges. In the stock exchange process, investors can place orders to buy and sell shares. Shares can be a valuable part of an investment portfolio. Owning shares in different companies can help build savings and protect money from inflation and taxes. It’s one option of maximizing income from the investments to the individual. When we see it from the company’s side, managing shares has become a central task.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to assert that the Covid-19 pandemic hit the global hospitality sector the hardest. It is no different in Ethiopia, a nation that has seen a rise in the flow of tourists for successive years before the pandemic turned things upside down. Now, at a time when the effect of the pandemic appears to be easing a little, good news is still scant for the Ethiopian tourism sector with war on its footsteps, writes Bamlak Befekadu.
Hemen AsmareAs much as artists have been vocal about the power of performing arts in communicating messages that could change society in many ways, the endeavor has failed to reach epic heights expected from a culturally-rich nation like Ethiopia. From censorship to competition from the growing cinema business, theater’s voyage has been full of hurdles. Now, the art form is dealing with the pandemic and national security challenges. EBR’s Trualem Asmare explores.
Addisu DeresseShimeles Gebremedhin CEO, eTech
As Ethiopia prepares for increased digitalization, a slow increase in investment in innovation and technology is evident. Being the first digital company to ever go public in Ethiopia, eTech is working where public awareness towards the use of technology is still inching forward. Yet, the startup has managed to involve more than 525 shareholders to raise ETB200 million in paid-up and pledged capital. EBR’s Addisu Deresse talks to Shimeles Gebremedhin, CEO of eTech, about the challenges and prospects facing his company and the sector in general.
Selome GetachewForex reserve shortages and the further devaluation of the Ethiopian birr against foreign currencies have been the usual inflation-causing suspects in Ethiopia. Additionally, in recent months, container scarcity is resulting in even more price hikes, especially of Chinese imports. Adding to an already strained global business environment faced with unprecedented challenges, China’s latest power cuts and moves to create a climate-change-conscious economy are felt far afield, writes Selome Getachew.
