Ethiopia crisis rooted in history

Tigray’s conflict with Ethiopia isn’t about regional autonomy. Instead,
the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is intent on recapturing the economic power and natural resources it held until 2018


1991: TPLF captures Addis Ababa, ousting military government of President Mengistu Hailemariam. TPLF leader Meles Zenawi (above) takes over as interim president – country partitioned along ethnic lines

1994: New constitution allows only public ownership of land. TPLF-led government grants long-term leases to foreign investors, amassing billions of dollars

Aug 1995: Meles sworn in as Prime Minister

1997-onwards: China and India invest average of $129.4m/year

2007-onwards, land grabs: Four million hectares of fertile land leased to foreign business

2011: China starts $3.4bn Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway project

2012: Hailemariam Desalegn (above) becomes Prime Minister following Meles’s death

2015-18: Anti-government protests – Hailemariam quits

2018: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (right) elected – launches wide programme of political and economic reforms. TPLF rejects Abiy’s authority


Government debt (Billions of Ethiopian birr, US$)

1992: 25.98 $8.56bn

2018: 1,344.42 $45.11bn

2,000 
1,500 
1,000
500
0
	1992 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 


SUDAN
ERITREA
Mekelle TIGRAY
Addis Ababa
ETHIOPIA
KENYA
Red Sea
Adama
YEMEN
Gulf of Aden
Djibouti DJIBOUTI
Dire Dawa
SOMALIA
400km 250 miles


Pictures: Getty Images
Sources: IMF, Foreign Policy, Oakland Institute, Journal of Economic Structures
© GRAPHIC NEWS