Who Confederates with Whom in the Horn of Africa? And on Whose Terms?
The story unfolding in the Horn of Africa is truly unbelievable. The whole story revolves around Ethiopia’s new, young and relatively inexperienced Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed. From the moment he assumed office, something akin to The Big Bang Theory erupted in Ethiopia, something sudden, big, powerful, and majestic. Premier Ahmed’s arrival seems to have brokered a mysterious conception and miracle birth of a brand-new universe in a country not known for and spectacularly lacking in the foundational traditions and critical capabilities required to embark on and skillfully manage such monumental transformation. In just eight months, the Abiy phenomenon has convulsed the political land scape in Ethiopia, turned the geopolitical calculus of the Horn of Africa topsy-turvy, and re-set broader international relations. At the same time, there is a fog of mystery, even unreality, surrounding crucial aspects of this great and potentially transformative endeavor. The Abiy juggernaut is real b