Name? Abiy Ahmed
Westphalian identity? Ethiopian
Age? 45
Why is he in the news? Recently, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed brought the country to the polls in his first electoral test. The elections were originally set for 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, most Ethiopians were able to go to the polls but three regions where the elections were postponed due to ballot insecurity, held them last month, resulting in a renewed mandate for Abiy. Specifically, Abiy’s Prosperity Party won 410 out of 436 parliamentary seats that were up for grabs and his cabinet was overwhelmingly approved by the parliament.
Why do we care? This election was Abiy’s first real test at the ballot box in Ethiopia. Although his mandate has been filled with controversy and conflict, the result proves that Abiy’s denial of international pressures, his Prosperity Party and his pan-Ethiopian ideology, Medemer, are more than popular in Ethiopia.
Why should you care? Recently, the conflict and human rights abuses have spread to the Amhara region and spillover continues to threaten the Horn of Africa. With the recent election result, Abiy has aced his test of legitimacy which will surely encourage his efforts in the Tigray region (at least domestically). You should care 7/10 about Abiy’s increased confidence in Tigray and therefore, look out for the conflict’s developments.
Who else cares? The heads of state from six of Ethiopia’s regional neighbours came to congratulate Abiy during his swearing-in ceremony. Many of the leaders, such as Djibouti President Ismail Guelleh, shared a message of peace for Ethiopia, likely due to the worry of conflict spillover from Tigray.
Any further comments? Due to the conflict in Tigray, the Ethiopian economy is struggling. The Ethiopian government has spent $2.5 billion on the war in the Tigray region. The conflict also makes foreign investors wary of Ethiopia’s stability, which may divert potential investors, which hinders Abiy’s motivation of foreign investment.
