U.S. think tank says Tigrians have lion’s share in Ethiopia’s economy

ESAT News (September 28, 2016)

The Heritage Foundation’s 2016 Index of Economic Freedom reported that economic gains inEthiopia were not evenly shared among all ethnic groups as Tigrians have a much larger share of the pie.

The foundation noted that EPRDF is “increasingly dividing the economic pie mostly among theirown Tigray brethren.”

Whatever economic progress Ethiopia achieved “has not been enjoyed evenly by all of the roughly 80 ethnic groups in the country,” the report said.

“More Economic Freedom Could Mean Less Civil Strife in Ethiopia,” said James M. Roberts, Research Fellow in Freedom and Growth at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for International Trade and Economics.

According to the foundation, Ethiopians deserve a better government than the one that hasdominated political and economic life for a quarter of a century.

The Heritage index recalled that the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front(EPRDF) and its allies in the Tigray ethnic group claimed all 547 seats in the May 2015 parliamentary elections. “Today, little remains of democracy in Ethiopia after the passage of laws that repress political opposition, tighten control of civil society, and suppress independentmedia.” the Index said.

The Index stressed that the TPLF should “address the deficiencies noted by the Index of Economic Freedom, especially with regard to stronger rule of law, more transparency in the investment regime, and more competition in the banking sector.”

Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on theprinciples of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional Americanvalues, and a strong national defense, according the website of the Foundation.