Since the founding of the first bank in the early 20th century, the banking sector had witnessed the heavy-handed interventions of the government. Since NBE started functioning as a central bank as stipulated in Proclamation No. 206 in 1964 this role of the government has continued.

Despite the lack of independence, the central bank has had relative competence in the way its governors execute their duties. There have also been proclamations that limit the government’s excessive interventions and borrowing. These restrictions enabled the bank to control inflation and other economic anomalies. However, the restrictions were lifted in 2008. Since then, inflation has become a major nuisance in the economy, among others.

Ever since protests began in the State of Oromia back in 2013, Ethiopia has hardly been  able to breathe the air of peace. Then, the protests intensified following discontent among the youth claiming the expansion of Addis Ababa into the State of Oromia was  detrimental and unfair to farmers in the area. Later, the protests expanded as the youth in the State of Amhara joined the demonstrations.

If there has been anything interesting about the aspect of governance in Ethiopia these last couple of years, it would be the standoff between the Minister of Education and college entrance exam takers. Young TikTokers have been making humorous videos calling out Birhanu Nega (PhD), the Minister of Education, for the serious changes the Ministry was making around the way the entrance exams were to be administered.

The changes were necessary on the part of the Ministry as national exams have been stolen and distributed to students well before they were administered- a practice that has been typical for about ten years now. The bad habit started in 2014 when Jawar Mohammed, the then-exiled political activist, claimed to have had the exams stolen as the then incumbent, the Ethiopian People’s Liberation Front (EPRDF), failed to listen to the movement he was said to have been leading.

Liberalization might increase prospects for foreign investment—it nurtures competition and improves efficiency. When trade and investment obstacles are lifted, businesses must engage in a more intense competitive field for market share. Resultantly, consumers will purchase goods and services of superior quality at lower prices. It can also inspire innovation and the improvement and efficiency of production methods of businesses. The ensuing cost savings may then be passed on to customers in the form of lower prices or better quality. A more prosperous firm then leads to increased tax revenue for governments.

If there is any commonality among the series of political administrations that have ruled Ethiopia over the decades, it is the demonizing of Egypt as a nation that always dreams of the downfall of Ethiopia as a nation. Even though these administrations do not present concrete evidence as to the extent of Egypt’s involvement, one may not fall far from the truth to assume that Egypt benefits less from a sturdy east African nation capable of taking its fair share of a river’s waters that have disproportionately only benefited Egypt for centuries.

Amir Aman, an accredited Associated Press video reporter, Thomas Engida, a freelancer journalist, and Tamirat Negera of Terara Network, are some of the names that one can mention to argue that Abiy Ahmed’s (PhD) regime may not be so different from its predecessors when it comes to freedom of expression, after all. One can also add the names of 16 journalists and media personnel who have been imprisoned in a new wave of crack down in the capital Addis Ababa and State of Amhara, with some being subsequently released. Some reports claim that journalists like Temesgen Desalegn of Fitih Magazine might have been physically hurt in the hands of the police.