Dreams Don’t Die, Individuals Do

An age old saying goes like, “every sunset gives one day less to live, while a sunrise gives one day more to hope.” The death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is a sun set and a great shock for the nation and the people of Africa at large.

The leadership and commitment of the Prime Minister is greatly missed by all folks of the continent. However, his vision would serve as a sunshine that gives one day more to hope to all.

Under his stewardship, Ethiopia has moved from a largely backward agricultural economy ruined with a civil war into an industrializing nation and star performer with annual growth rates, in recent years, of over 10pc. Ethiopia has become one of Africa’s most rapidly expanding economies, despite a lack of minerals or hydrocarbons which have boosted many of other continental fastest growing economies.

Over the last decade, Meles emerged as one of the most silently influential African leaders. He took a leading role on Africa’s negotiations on climate change, in peacemaking in Sudan and in combating extremism and creating lasting peace in Somalia.

He put Africa on the world’s map. As a skilled and effective negotiator, he certainly forced leaders in the developed world to listen about the pressing issues of the continent.

Following his death, however, different personalities, media outlets and rights advocacy organizations are giving their own views about the legacy of the late Prime Minister and the future course of Ethiopia.

Much has been said and it seems that all have the same attitude about the economic reforms the nation has undergone under the leadership of the late premier.

Most pundits agree that Meles transformed Ethiopia from a war-wrecked peripheral Horn of African state into a supremely self-assured African diplomatic and military powerhouse.

But contrary to what is repeatedly being said about Ethiopia as an ally of the West, the leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has created a nation that became a staunch ally of the world; Ethiopia is serving as a meeting place for the East and the West, Africa and Asia, Asia and Europe as well as Africa and Latin America.

Driven by the national interest of the country, it also forged a very strong relationship not only with the US, but also with China, India, Turkey, the EU, the AU, Brazil, and other countries around the globe.

Even though some political analysts have expressed fears that the country could unravel with the sudden absence of Meles, Ethiopia would excel such a doomsday prophecy in a very unique fashion. Ethiopia’s military and intelligence as well as the civil service are strong institutions built to sustain the country’s transformation. Thus, a solid foundation has been laid upon which the post-Meles leadership can build on, as they prepare themselves to take the country’s development and political evolution to its next stages.

Contrary to what some individuals and international human rights institutions are gloomily picturing, the national democratization and good governance fronts are also witnessing a progress in the right direction.

The late premier once frankly made a remark about the democratic path his country would follow saying, “We believe that democracy, good governance and transparency and fighting corruption are good objectives for every country, particularly for developing countries.  Where we had our differences with the neoliberal paradigm is first on the perception that this can be imposed from outside.”

“We do not believe that is possible.  Internalization of accountability is central to democratization.  The state has to be accountable to the citizens, and not some embassies or foreign actors.”

This frank conviction is the only difference with the international human rights institutions that would like to impose their own principles and wishes to direct countries in their own path.

What the nation has achieved since the 2005 hiccup in the democratisation process has indeed resulted disappointment by these institutions as they were not able to bend it from its strong conviction of internalizing democratic accountability to its own citizens rather than for leaving it for external forces.

Agreeably, the Horn of Africa region is one of the most volatile regions in Africa that Ethiopia shouldered to support the creation of lasting peace, security and stability. Prime Minister Meles was intimately involved in brokering agreements between the warring Sudans.

He developed close ties with leaders on both sides of the aisle and became a prominent figure in the African Union (AU). This wise mediation will be greatly missed, but Ethiopia’s commitment for strong and peaceful Sudan would obviously stay eternal.

Ethiopia’s effort in creating lasting peace and stability in Somalia emanates from its own national interest of seeking a stable neighborhood. So much as Meles was deeply involved in the issue, it is unjustifiable to relate Ethiopia’s involvement in Somalia with a single person’s interest or attitude and contemplate change of policy or strategy with the departure of that individual.

Somalia shall remain Ethiopia’s foreign policy priority. Hence, assistance from Ethiopia for the smooth transition and establishment of a strong government in the country is highly warranted.

Of course, Prime Minister Meles’ multifaceted work is not yet finished. By sticking to the succession plan put in place, it is high time for Ethiopia’s leadership to pay any sacrifice to continue the development path he has started.

After all, it is the EPRDF who created Meles, not the other way round. I see that there are many individuals who could carry the baton and continue the relay.

But the new leadership ought to prioritize certain things. Keeping its cohesion and throwing out a consolidated support behind the new leadership will be the priority.

All functional institutions should rally behind the new leadership as there are lots of projects that await successful accomplishments.

Certainly, the gap Meles’ absence will create may not be easy to fill in. However, the collective mind in the system could narrow such a gap and would make things go in the right direction.

The new leadership could establish different think thank groups that could serve as centers of advise in particular project areas and support the new leadership in order to advance projects in the pipeline. That would be the easiest way to narrow the gap, and in the long run, would create additional excellence in the system.

Even though the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is a sunset and days less to live, it could turn into a sunrise that gives days more to hope as we see the deep affection of the people of Ethiopia for his vision and the promise to continue realizing it.


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