AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - Dramatic situation: suffering continues among the poorest, not even the middle class is spared

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Addis Abeba (Agenzia Fides) - "First we had the revolutionary uprisings against the government, then the hope with the election of Prime Minister Aby, but then came Covid. As if that was not enough, there is also the escalation of the war between the federal army and of the fighters of the "Tigray People's Liberation Front" (TPLF), at the end of which comes the war in Ukraine and the prospects of a very severe drought". This is what an anonymous source of the local Catholic Church told Fides who described the devastating economic situation that is heavily affecting the country.
"The situation in Ethiopia is dramatic. Prices are rising, everything is becoming more and more complicated. The poorest are silent, they always suffer, but the middle class cannot even buy teff, the typical flour of the country, for their monthly needs with the current salary. The price of petrol has risen sharply. Unfortunately, the funds for the missions are also running out and in this situation it is becoming increasingly difficult to help the poor", the observer continued. In addition to the economic crisis, there are also clashes with Eritrea in the conflict region of Tigray. The situation is still very tense. According to the United Nations, a total of 1.39 million children in the Tigray region are currently missing out on their education due to the war, with serious consequences.
Ethiopia continues to modernize its armed forces, and Parliament recently approved a five-year military cooperation agreement with Turkey worth around $63 million. (GF/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 19/5/2022)


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