Ethiopian PM: We will crush Ethiopia's enemies

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says the country will defeat its adversaries, terming them "hair lice" while calling for unity and resilience in the country, whose stability has faced challenges in recent years.

While marking the 20th Ethiopian Nationalities and People's Day, PM Abiy Ahmed called for resilience and peace, and warned those he accuses of destabilising the stability of the country.

He asked citizens to remain alert and cautioned them against becoming agents of external forces. Although he didn't mention the perceived adversaries, it is believed that Ethiopia is at loggerheads with countries like Egypt and Eritrea over national strategic interests.

“When outsiders rise in malice to eclipse our aspirations, Ethiopians must not become tools for their interests, because a rope entangled by them neither unties nor binds,” he said.

He urged Ethiopians to prioritise national cohesion over division. “When we should be united with each other, let us not let the desire of the outsiders with evil thoughts enter within us so that we are not condemned by history,” he stated as reported by Addis Standard.

But the Prime Minister of the country also emphasised the need for dialogue, diligence and fight against corruption. He also called for national progress.

“Let us find courage and fortify our peace. Let us believe in dialogue. Let us work diligently in every field of endeavour we are engaged in, and let us despise corruption,” Abiy said, adding that modernisation must be pursued while safeguarding sovereignty.

Describing Ethiopia as “a country full of great hope,” he said the nation is achieving promising results despite attempts to derail its progress. “While these good beginnings are supported by our Creator, attempts are made day and night by the persistence of the devil to derail them,” he noted.

Abiy vowed that Ethiopia would withstand challenges and continue toward prosperity. Egypt is battling with Ethiopia over Nile River water, while Ethiopia wants access to the sea through neighbours.

“No challenge, no provocation, no evil scheme can stop Ethiopia from achieving prosperity,” he said. “We will transform every challenge into an opportunity and accelerate Ethiopia’s prosperity. We will strengthen Ethiopia’s unity. We will shake off Ethiopia’s enemies one by one, like hair lice.”

“We will finish in peace, just as we started in peace. We, the children of Colonel Bezabih, will not be intimidated; we will finish with heroism what we started with heroism,” he told the crowd.

The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize laureate is accused of destabilising the Horn of Africa, a claim he denies. Eritrea and Somalia accuse him of using force to push for access to the Red Sea for the construction of a military base and port.

GAROWE ONLINE