Ethiopian Review | Ethiopia, a key U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism in North Africa, is again on the brink of chaos following the outbreak of large-scale protests that erupted last week. The demonstrations prompted the government to declare a state of emergency and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to submit his resignation amid the worst political crisis the country has faced in years.
Thousands of Ethiopians have taken to the streets to protest exclusion from the country’s political system and economic growth. The government’s declaration of a state of emergency effectively bans protests, leading the U.S. Embassy to call for “greater freedom, not less.”
“The question is, whether the ruling party decides to bring in someone who is more capable of bringing people together — a more inclusive government — or doubles down under influence from the military and says, ‘No, let’s crack down even harder to solve this problem,’” Alex Kliment of GZERO Media told CBSN in an interview. “They’ve been cracking down for three years, and it has only gotten worse.” […]