Brian Stewart, a journalist for CBC and one of Canada’s most experienced foreign correspondents, writes that Ethiopia’s regime has a blasé attitude about food shortage in the country and that he supports The Economist’s description of the regime as one of the most economically illiterate in the world. The following except is taken from Brian’s 2009 article, but still applies today as the U.N. is making yet another call for emergency food aid alert on behalf of 2.8 million Ethiopians.
Ethiopian regime’s blasé attitude about food shortage
The Ethiopian government has said it doesn’t expect this year to be much worse than last, and it is “confident it has done everything it can to feed its hungry people.”
This almost blasé attitude in Addis, gives no comfort at all to aid officials who tend to agree with an Economist magazine’s characterization of Ethiopia’s government as well-meaning but “one of the most economically illiterate in the modern world.”
President Meles Zenawi is unlikely to be reckless enough to downplay a real emergency, but there is always concern that regional officials might dismiss rising malnutrition figures to protect their own political hides.
From what I have seen, Ethiopians hate their nation’s image as a perpetual victim of disasters. And donor nations have clearly grown weary of annual calls for aid.
One can sympathize with both views. But such sentiments cannot be allowed to obscure facts.
Yes, development efforts on the ground are indeed starting to yield progress (and I intend to write about these another time).
But Ethiopia, the 12th poorest nation on Earth, will simply not be able to fully feed itself for many years, likely a generation at least.
The abject poverty of land and population are simply too stark, too intractable to offer a quick end to this recurring nightmare, no matter what economic or market reforms are tried.
Back when I was covering the famine in 1984, I never imagined — or perhaps let myself fear — that Ethiopia would be such a difficult problem for the world to fix.
I underestimated what a grinding, unrelenting effort would be needed to confront its timeless poverty. This time back, I fear we underestimate it still.
11 thoughts on “Ethiopia’s regime most illiterate – Brian Stewart”
TPLF is indeed the most illiterate regime in the whole world
Why state the obvious now? Is it because the US propped up tyrants are finding themselves in hot water? Is it because Meles is the inevitable next in line to face the music that got Ben Ali & Mubarek who is expected today to relinquish his 30 years of carreer as a water carrier for the US’ & EU’s IMF & World Bank, taking orders.
Meles has kept the Brave people of Ethiopia under severe poverty life so as to fend them off from any Latin America or North Africa type of revolution. Besides, Meles has a reputation for mowing down peaceful protesters and invited a G8 meeting & dinner woth his financiers in the immediate aftermath of his Agazi private militia massacred innocent people in the streets of Addis Ababa.
No pseudo revolutionaries from outside or their western allies can save Ethiopia except those brave men & women inside Ethiopia.
The cause of Poverty in Ethiopia and its inability to feed itself has less to do with natural disasters and more with mismanagement and greed. Those in power are not different than looters. They never has had any national vision or concern for its people. All they have is greed for power and money, and they do not care if millions die as long as they remain in power!
What do you expect, TPLF know nothing of the outside world or interaction with different cultures and races except Tigray, which is a closed society now leading Ethiopia closed, poverished with no experience for the next generation. A group who never experience what it means to have money, to have high power, etc, will always lead countries bakwards just like themselves
Ethiopia is endowed with natural resources but it lacks a responsible government who gives priority for the welfare of it’s people. If it wasn’t for the unlimited support of the West, the tplf regeme would not have lasted a year let alone 20 years. The West is fully responsible for the misery of our people. If they truely care for the people, they have the means to throw the tplf bandits out of power. The truth is; they don’t care for the suffering people; all they care is their puppet regeme is well fed and stay intact so that it will continue serving their interest.
Oh boy ,you got it wrong again! The problem with the west is not underestimating Ethiopians problem, rather it is exactly what they wanted Ethiopians to live with. Mr. Brian, Open up your eye and ask yourself as to why the millions of dollars are being ushered to the most repressive regime in the world is making Ethiopians more miserable? In fact the more brutal the regime become,the more Worldbank and IMF’S blood spilling dollars it(the regime)secures. Explain to Ethiopians this moral bankruptcy of the west or their generosity as they are trying to make us believe.
The journalist want you to believe that because you are black you are less human being in fact the human evolution is yet in progress in you to call you as proper human being and you uphold him you support him ??Why ?.. you all black Ethiopians..oh by the way Iforget have you disown your blackness? Ihave heard some few degenerated retarded who came from Ethiopia say they are caucasian by race !! We Ethiopian are black in race and we reject these type of racist remark and conclusion!!
You should not be excited to hear these pseudo racist Nazi like racist one characterizing us as such !!Tell him wait and see just four or five years!!
It is a shame and disgrace to hear such a thing all the time and zenawi and his cronies will definitely pay the price very soon. They (the woyanne’s) don’t have any humanity through there life time and unless there position is kept, they will continue this gambling until the next century.
Eritrea was not well feed or self sufficient with food when the government said No to Food aid. A strong leader has to take such a major decision to motivate every one to work hard to feed them selves. Here is one simple example :
If you start feeding pegeons in your work area every lunch time, they are not going to go far and beyond looking for food, instead they will wait every day at your lunch area to eat the left over. Human being are created to be surviors – they will do what ever they can to feed them selves if it is the only option. The Weyane leaders are not ready to do that because they steal most of the aid money for their own benefit.
Another title to the Weyane regime “One of the most economically illiterate in the modern world”. The Ethiopian people have been enduring this fact & have been brutalized by this ignorant and chuvinist group that came out from Dedebit jungle. God bless the Ethiopian people, and may god almighty give them the strength and courage to rise up against this barbaric group.
TED Please bring one iota proof that show Ethiopia has misuse any of the IMF or World Bank loan OR any aid money??It might have been used with comparatively less efficiency .And that might be lack of capacity which will be soon! soon! to be over come. Fact is who is to be blamed for the lack of capacity ..if the country teaches its citizen and some renegades run away to European USA for some shear self center insanely selfish economic reason-taking economic refugee who is to blame when these people are supposed to be there and at least contribute rather trying to be an onlooker saying …”these people” referring to people living in Ethiopia…one thing I learn is these few renegades even has tried to disown there personality some say they have Caucasian ethnicity… Let me tell you with all the short comings presently the only- the last best alternative Ethiopia have is the present government!! Ok there might be isolated incidents lack of good governance here and there administrative problem capacity problem…..(Ok there at your place in USA If for any isolated incident leanching and police killing and corruption if you ask for revolution overthrow or change of government America would have 1000 REVOLUTION AND CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT the last 50 years ) Come to your sense bro !!! Try this for change give constructive idea criticism..if you are to follow Ginbot7 Kifle Isayas coalition I tell you-YOU will remain crowing all the way in your life and you will pass as such!!nothing will happen…you want to compare archaic Arab country with Ethiopia ? it will be totally senseless …Ethiopia soon will be the the regions bastion of democracy and civilization !!!
One thing which is abhor able -I am hearing from these- some few diasporas -Ethiopia haters, is advising Ethiopians (definatly they can not reach Tigrian Ethiopians then it will be ONLY for non Tigriyan Ethiopians …)they are advising them not to participate not to invest not to educate themselves not to work in government office not to go to school universities and etc ETC these is really horrible advice ..thanks for the smartness of the people they have reject these idea totally otherwise the advice would have in effect try to make all non Tigrian people in coming few years to be relegate to demise poverty be illiterate poor- languish for years and years to be what to endless poverty!! NO we reject this idea Ethiopian people will go out actively participate use whatever possibilities there are to educate to invest to work together with all and prosper engage in the political arena suggest cast their vote point vehemently where they feel there is mistake ,uphold the brilliant ideas we will continue and try to be prosperous all Ethiopia’s together!!