Ethiopia Insight published on 28 August 2025 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's National Dialogue Seeks to Smooth the Path to Constitutional Reform" by Leul Estifanos.
The commentary discusses the status of Ethiopia's three-year-old National Dialogue Commission with a focus on the prospects for amending the constitution.
Ethiopia Insight published on 8 January 2024 a commentary titled "Peace in Ethiopia's Oromia Will Only Come Through Genuine Self-rule" by Ermias Tasfaye, an Ethiopia Insight reporter living in Burayu, Oromia.
This is a detailed, if complex, discussion of the politics of Oromia that offers suggestions for dealing with the current conflicts, which seem to be dominated by extreme ethnic nationalism among Ethiopia's major ethnic groups.
Ethiopia Insight published on 7 April 2023 a commentary titled "As Ethiopian Alliances Shift, Abiy's Anniversary Met by Amhara Protests and Violence" by Abel Tesfaye, Ethiopia Insight reporter.
Protests broke out across Amhara Region over a number of decisions by the Abiy Ahmed government, including its effort to disband regional militia forces and integrate them into the central government army.
The Associated Press published on 26 October 2022 an article titled "Witnesses: Drone Strikes in Ethiopia's Oromia Kill Civilians" by Cara Anna.
Drone strikes in strongholds of the Oromo Liberation Army in Oromia Region reportedly killed several dozen civilians last week.
Ethiopia Insight published on 24 August 2022 a commentary titled "Oromo Nationalism Should Cross the River of Resentment" by Zola Moges.
The commentary reviews the background and fissures of Oromo nationalism in Ethiopia but mistakenly comments that the Oromo are an ethnic majority rather than an ethnic plurality. The author acknowledges the killing of Amhara in Oromia and concludes that "Oromo nationalism has failed to cross the river of resentment, resistance, and retaliation, and thus remains a captive of its history and successes." The author adds that it is time for Oromo nationalism to align itself with today's reality.
Ethiopia Insight published on 26 June 2022 a commentary titled "Jawar Mohammed: From 'la Luta Continua' to Peace Preacher" by Ermias Tasfaye, Ethiopia Insight reporter.
The government of Ethiopia released from prison early this year Jawar Mohammed, outspoken Oromo nationalist and political activist. On the few occasions that he as spoken since his release, he has encouraged a democratic and unified Ethiopia. He called for preserving the territorial integrity of Ethiopia, democratization of the political system, creation of an inclusive political community, and making Ethiopia a home for everyone.
Ethiopia Insight published on 14 June 2022 a commentary titled "Abiy Ahmed's Power Base Is More Fragile than Ever" by Patrick Wight, senior editor of Ethiopia Insight.
The author argues that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed may have to reach a compromise with Tigray Region, thus angering Amhara Region and Eritrean leader Isaias Afewerki.
Ethiopia Insight published on 12 March 2022 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's Stillborn National Dialogue" by Buli Edjeta, director of a research, consultancy, and training institute.
The author is highly critical of the process for establishing the National Dialogue Commission because it resulted from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's "exclusionist approach." He concludes "a satisfactory National Dialogue is highly unlikely while war is raging and major opposition leaders are sidelined or in jail."
The Associated Press published on 7 January 2022 an article titled "Ethiopia Grants Amnesty to High-profile Political Detainees."
Ethiopia announced on 7 January that it had granted amnesty to opposition figures Jawar Mohammed and Eskinder Nega. The government said several senior TPLF officials would also be released soon, taking into account their age and health condition. This development gives some hope that a national political dialogue could follow.
Ethiopia Insight published on 28 August 2021 a commentary titled "One Vote Forwards, Two Steps Back for Ethiopian Democracy" by an anonymous author.
The author argues that Ethiopia's national election was squarely, although not entirely fairly, won by the Prosperity Party. Voting for the Prosperity Party should not be taken as a sign of consensus or of unconditional acceptance for the party's political agenda given that its main ethnonational opponents did not take part and because of the uneven ground this election was contested on.
Ethiopia Insight published on 19 August 2021 a detailed commentary titled "EIEP: Prosperity Party's Win Is a Loss for Oromia--and Ethiopia" by Ermias Tasfaye, Ethiopia Insight reporter who lives in Oromia.
The author argues that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has failed to reconcile Ethiopia and Oromo political identities and so failed to live up to his own promises. The commentary focuses on the competing views in Oromia of support for Oromo nationalism versus pan-Ethiopianism.
Ethiopia Insight published on 2 August 2021 an analysis titled "Dire Dawa's Dilemma: Sharing Power in Ethiopia's Eastern Melting Pot" by an anonymous author.
Dire Dawa hosts significant numbers of Oromo, Somali, and Amhara and presents a challenge for power sharing. Numerous political parties are active in the federal district.
The International Crisis Group (ICG) published on 17 June 2021 a Q and A titled "Ethiopia Votes, But Balloting Will Not Ease the Country's Deep Crisis" with William Davison, ICG senior analyst for Ethiopia.
This is a wide ranging discussion of Ethiopia's parliamentary elections scheduled for most parts of the country on 21 June.
Ethiopia Insight posted on 17 February 2021 a commentary titled "Trial Stutters as Bekele, Jawar et al's Hunger Strike Triggers Protests."
Ethiopia Insight warns that the hunger strike by jailed members of the political opposition could lead to growing political protests.
Ethiopia Insight posted on 5 February 2021 a commentary titled "Election 2021: Ethiopia's Transition from a Dominant Coalition to a Dominant Party" by Fassil Hailu, a pen name for an Ethiopia Insight columnist.
The author identifies five systemic advantages held by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party in the 5 June 2021 elections.
Ethiopia Insight posted on 4 January 2021 a commentary titled "The Counter-productive Demonization of Jawar Mohammed" by Hambisa Belina, an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States.
Oromo activist, Jawar Mohammed, was arrested in July 2020 and remains in prison in Ethiopia. The author argues that imprisonment, demonization, and assassination do not solve political problems. The solution is inclusive dialogue that includes Jawar Mohammed and all other prominent political prisoners.
Ethiopia Insight posted on 25 September 2020 an article titled "Ethiopian Prosecutors Charge Jawar with Training Terror Group in Egypt" by Leul Estifanos, freelance court reporter.
Ethiopian federal prosecutors charged opposition Oromo Federalist Congress leader Jawar Mohammed and 23 others with ten crimes including training a terrorist group in Egypt with the intention of toppling the Ethiopian government by force. The author detailed the charges without commenting on them.
Ethiopia Insight posted on 7 September 2020 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's Reform Rollback Creates a Vicious Circle" by Mebretu Kelecha, University of Westminster.
The author argues that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has failed to move Ethiopia onto an unambiguously democratic path.
Ethiopia Insight published on 24 August 2020 a commentary titled "An Imperial Narrative Gets Recycled" by Trevor Trueman, human rights activist.
In order to prevent a Yugoslav-style breakup of Ethiopia, the author argues for "self-determination" although it is not clear how that is defined.
