By LJDemissie
June 18, 2025
Ethiopia stands at a crossroads, grappling with profound economic challenges while navigating a national identity shaped by decades of ethnic federalism. Under the TPLF-led EPRDF, ethnicity was not merely politicized and institutionalized—it was strategically leveraged as a tool to weaken national cohesion through a deliberate divide-and-rule approach, spearheaded by the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his administration. Rather than fostering genuine cultural empowerment, they codified ethnic divisions into governance, ultimately fragmenting national unity.
Now, under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a new vision is emerging—one that seeks to dismantle weaponized ethnic hierarchies while reaffirming cultural identity, all in service of forging a stronger, more unified Ethiopian state. In my view, the challenge lies in striking the balance between preserving ethnic heritage and reinforcing national cohesion, ensuring that inclusivity does not become another mechanism for division. While some may strongly disagree with this interpretation, it remains an essential discussion in shaping Ethiopia’s future. However, critical engagement on such matters is not always welcomed—I, for instance, have been blocked from following and interacting with Abiy Ahmed Ali’s, Prime Minster of Ethiopia, Twitter account after raising concerns about the suffering of the Amhara people at the hands of Oromo extremists.
To be fair, Prime Minister Abiy’s emphasis appears to be on both cultural symbolism and economic reform. Yet, despite this dual focus, Ethiopian economists have remained systematically excluded from the public platforms that have welcomed artists, religious figures, and healthcare professionals.Whether this exclusion is intentional or simply an oversight remains unclear—but the absence is undeniable.
Equally puzzling is the silence from the economists themselves. Why has there been no collective effort—no public demand—for a seat at the table? Why have they remained tight-lipped while economic con crowded and dominated narrating Ethiopians economy for two decades. While other sectors have embraced opportunities to shape the national narrative, the professional economic community has remained largely passive. In a moment where their expertise is most needed, their disengagement only reinforces the void.
At the same time, it is essential to recognize the tangible economic gains achieved during PM Abiy’s administration. According to the government: Ethiopia generated $4.5 billion in export revenue in just the first eight months of the 2024/25 fiscal year, surpassing all previous full-year records. Inflation has declined significantly from 34% to 13.5%, and industrial production capacity has risen from 48% to 65%, marking measurable improvements in economic fundamentals. These developments suggest that beneath the dominant cultural narrative, there are important structural shifts underway—though their sustainability and inclusivity warrant continued scrutiny.
The Role of Cultural Framing in Governance
Since assuming office, Abiy has consistently engaged a wide range of professionals—teachers, healthcare workers, religious leaders, diplomats, artists, poets, and filmmakers—encouraging them to shape a shared vision of Ethiopia’s future through storytelling, historical reference, and symbolism. His administration has leaned heavily on cultural expression to reinforce national unity, resilience, and optimism.
While national narrative-building can be a powerful tool for cohesion, it risks overshadowing urgent economic realities that demand technical expertise and policy focus. Ethiopia continues to face inflationary pressure, foreign exchange constraints, and industrial underperformance—issues that cannot be addressed through rhetoric alone.
The Absence of Economists in the National Conversation
Despite gains in select economic indicators such as GDP growth and export revenue, Ethiopia’s credentialed economists remain conspicuously absent from national discourse. Unlike teachers, artists and other professionals invited to share their concerns and aspirations, economists have been denied comparable access to the Prime Minister or to major state platforms such as Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation and Fana Media Corporation. Even private outlets like EBS Television have routinely elevated a self-styled “top economist” who lacks formal economic credentials—further entrenching the dominance of imposters over informed analysis. Notably, this individual has publicly identified as a good friend of EBS Television’s owner and CEO, Amman Fissehazion, raising concerns that the portrayal of a non-economist as a national economic authority may not be accidental, but orchestrated. One gains the platform to shape influence; the other gains credibility borrowed from proximity—not expertise.
To date, state-affiliated media have consistently sidelined qualified Ethiopian economists, opting instead to elevate a non-economist figure—rebranded as a “top economist” despite lacking formal credentials. Over three successive administrations, dating back to the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, this individual has dominated public discourse on Ethiopia’s economy, amplifying and embellishing government narratives rather than providing informed analysis.
Even under the oversight of Ethiopia’s top institutions—the Federal Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission (led by Samuel Urkato), the Ministry of Planning and Development (headed by Fitsum Assefa Adela), the Ministry of Finance (under Eyob Tekalign Tolina), and the National Bank of Ethiopia (led by Governor Mamo Mihretu)—economic discourse has, for nearly two decades, been shaped more by optimism and political convenience than by rigorous analysis. Rather than fostering substantive economic evaluation, this approach has often prioritized securing consulting contracts for Ethiopian institutions.
The continued elevation of such misinformation—despite its transparency failures and lack of professional legitimacy—goes beyond institutional oversight; it points to systemic complicity at the highest levels of Ethiopia’s last three successive governments, including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s leadership team. In this environment, economic narratives are shaped more by personality and propaganda than by policy, expertise, or accountability.
The Consequences of Prioritizing Narrative Over Economics
While unity and optimism are vital to nation-building, they cannot substitute for the practical policies and expertise required to ensure sustainable development. Ethiopia needs qualified economists to analyze, strategize, and implement solutions that drive industrial growth, financial stability, and equitable progress.
If narrative continues to eclipse policy, the government risks building a story that resonates emotionally but falters structurally. The long-term resilience of Ethiopia will depend not only on the stories it tells, but on the expertise it empowers.
A leadership committed to both symbolism and substance—to storytelling and structural reform—is essential for ensuring that Ethiopia’s future is driven not just by sentiment, but by sound strategy and integrity.
The Silence of the Ethiopian Economics Association: Marginalized or Muzzled?
One of the most obvious absences in Ethiopia’s economic discourse is that of the Ethiopian Economics Association (EEA)—a professional body established to promote evidence-based economic thinking and policy engagement. Despite its mission to inform national policy and foster public dialogue, the EEA has remained largely silent in the face of persistent economic misrepresentation —often by individuals who do not even meet the Association’s basic full membership requirement: a first degree in economics.
This silence is particularly troubling given that, for over two decades, Ethiopia’s economic narrative has been dominated by a figure frequently featured by the state-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation and private outlets like EBS Television, despite lacking formal training in economics and being ineligible for full EEA membership. This individual has been repeatedly elevated across state, private, and social media platforms as the country’s foremost economic authority—while credentialed economists and the EEA itself have been sidelined.
This raises urgent questions—not just about who planted the seed of misinformation around this figure’s credentials, but also about the structural forces that continue to water it:
Has the EEA been systematically excluded from state media platforms?
Is its silence a result of institutional caution, or has it been deliberately muted by political pressure?
Why, despite its recent reengagement through flagship publications, has it not been granted space on national television or radio?
The EEA’s own publications emphasize its independence and commitment to public dialogue. And yet, its near-total absence from Ethiopia’s dominant media ecosystem points to a deeper systemic issue—where economic discourse is curated not by expertise, but by narrative loyalty.
The writer, LJDemissie, can be reached at LJDemissie@yahoo.com or @LJDemissie on X.
