As a long-time defender of Ethiopian Airlines against defamation and slander, I’m compelled to write this open letter. My previous articles, such as “Disrupting Safety: Unruly Behavior on Ethiopian Airlines Flight Unacceptable” (August 25, 2024) and “Bloomberg, You Owe Ethiopian Airlines an Apology: How Your Article Contradicts the Facts and Spreads Misinformation” (September 2, 2023), demonstrate my commitment to accuracy and truth.
However, my attention has shifted to a more pressing issue: the secrecy surrounding Ethiopian Airlines’ privatization. As a supporter of the airline, I’m shocked and concerned by the lack of transparency. Why is Ethiopian Airlines hiding its privatization?
I’m curious about the claims made by Zemedeneh Negatu, CPA, Global Chairman of Fairfax Africa Fund, and frequent guest on the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) as an expert advisor on PM Abiy’s new national economy reform, regarding his involvement in your privatization and restructuring. According to an article titled “Zemedeneh Negatu: The Strategic Leader Behind Africa’s Aviation Success and Investment Growth” published on August 1, 2024, on “Empower Africa’s news website”, Zemedeneh claims that under his guidance, Ethiopian Airlines has transformed into one of Africa’s most successful and profitable carriers. Impressive! Yet, this “privatization” remains undisclosed to the public.
As a state-owned airline, transparency and accountability are crucial. I’m concerned that hiding this information misleads the public and stakeholders. I’d love to hear your side of the story and clarify the situation. Are you indeed privatized? If so, why the secrecy?
Looking forward to your response!
The writer, LJDemissie, can be reached at LJDemissie@yahoo.com or @LJDemissie (Twitter).