It is a measure of the weakening of the federal government's forces that the state of emergency comes a year after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) into Tigray on a three-week 'law and order operation' in response to local fighters attacking a federal military base in the region (AC Vol 61 No 25 Abiy's mission in Mekelle)...

COLLATERAL ECONOMIC DAMAGE Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's grand plans for an economic transition included privatisation of Ethio Telecom as well as the Sugar Corporation and companies in the energy sector...

Signs decorated with flowers and reading 'A New Beginning' in readiness for Abiy Ahmed's grand inauguration in Addis Ababa on 4 October held little reality even for his most determined supporters...

Abiy brings in a few opposition friends Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took diversity gender and religion as well as merit into account when he appointed his new 22-strong cabinet but nothing about it presages any major policy shifts...

Hopes that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's election victory alongside the country's falling economic growth and investment might prompt a serious bid to open negotiations with the Tigrayan leaders have been thwarted again...

The Tigrayans also claim that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has secretly contacted them for negotiations...

As the TDF fights the ENDF the rebellious Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) has opened a new front against the federal government in the south (AC Dispatches 16/8/21 A nightmare scenario for Premier Abiy Ahmed as regional opponents coordinate against the federal government)...

We hear that Abiy Ahmed is furious at the ENDF's lack of progress insisting on more assaults regardless of the cost...

President Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed 'Farmajo' flew to Addis Ababa on 3 October to attend the swearing-in of Abiy Ahmed as prime minister for another five years hoping that the Ethiopian leader could help him with his domestic problems sources in Mogadishu told Africa Confidential...