By Abebe Gellaw
A group of individuals closely associated with Abiy Ahmed recently appeared in a two-part television discussion on the state-owned EBC. The purpose of the conversation was to share insights they claimed to have gained during their visit to Singapore. However, their dialogue was far from impressive.
The panel of “ministers,” led by Billene Seyoum, included figures like Berhanu Nega, Daniel Kibret, and Binalf Andualem. In their discussion, they marveled at the superficial aspects of Singapore, such as its aesthetics, while failing to address the significant differences between Singapore’s effective leadership and Ethiopia’s divisive and oppressive governance model.
While Singapore is known for its unifying leadership, Ethiopia continues to struggle with ethnic division and hatred perpetuated by various political entities. Unlike Singapore’s meritocratic administrative structure, Ethiopia’s ruling party has allowed ethnicity to permeate every facet of society, resulting in widespread societal harm and disunity.
Instead of focusing on the trivial and cosmetic aspects of Singapore, the Ethiopian delegation should have used this opportunity to reflect on the deep-rooted problems facing their nation, such as political persecution, mass displacement, and economic mismanagement. Their failure to address these critical issues only highlights their lack of understanding of the complex challenges facing Ethiopia.
It is crucial for Ethiopia to acknowledge and address the systemic issues that have plagued the nation for decades, rather than indulging in superficial comparisons with other countries. Only by confronting these challenges head-on can Ethiopia truly progress towards a more stable and prosperous future.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com
