By Engidu Woldie
ESAT News (September 9, 2018)
Ethiopia’s reformist Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, says he hopes the new Ethiopian year will be a year of forgiveness, reconciliation, and love.
Speaking in Addis Ababa on the eve of the Ethiopian New Year today, Dr. Ahmed called on Ethiopians to work together to bring about tangible political and economic changes in the country.
He also called on opposition political groups to to come up with a clear political and economic thinking that could be of relevance to Africa in general and to Ethiopia in particular.
Invited opposition political leaders and activists who have returned from exile in the past few weeks have attended the eve celebrations and the crowd at the Millenium Hall cheered as Prime Minister called their names and recognized their presence.
Ahmed also vowed that the new year would be one that they would not tolerate corrupt government officials and those who steal. “Government positions were meant to serve but not to steal,” he said.
He reminded the gathering that the just concluded year was full of uncertainties and the country was in a perilous state. The political crisis led to an economy that is in a deep trouble, he added.
“The new year opens a new horizon that is full of hope so let’s promise to work hard to bring prosperity and leave poverty behind.”
Abiy Ahmed expressed his best wishes to Eritreans, who also follow the same calendar. He said the defense forces of the two countries are celebrating the New Year together.
Ethiopia and Eritrea follow the same calendar, similar to the Coptic calendar.
And tomorrow turns 2011.