Ethiopia: Self-determination for More Southwestern States?

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 22 September 2020 a commentary titled "Respecting Self-determination Could Prove Good Governance Model for Ethiopia's Southern Nations" by Kulle Kursha, Hawassa University.

In 2019, the Sidama people voted for autonomy from the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Regional State (SNNPRS) and in 2020 became Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia's tenth state.  Eleven more ethnic groups in SNNPRS have now requested similar status.  The author argues that reorganizing SNNPRS into multiple regional states would be a positive step irrespective of their small size.

Fragmentation in Ethiopia?

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 18 August 2020 a commentary titled "First, Constitutional Adherence, Then Reform Will Prevent Ethiopia's Fragmentation" by Markos Debebe, Ethiopia Policy Studies Institute.

Sidama's rise to statehood has resulted in a request by 12 other entities for mini-state status.  How the central government deals with these requests will determine whether Ethiopia achieves unity in diversity or unravels further.  

Ethiopia: Sidama Seeks Statehood

Ethiopia Insight posted on 5 May 2019 a commentary titled "Sidama Declares State of Impatience" by Yohanan Yokamo, Hawassa University.

Sidama is agitating to become a separate state in Ethiopia's federal system, thus breaking away from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Regional State (SNNPRS).