Part II
The International Pariah
By Haile Tessema
(This is part II of an instalment covering the embarrassing behaviour of Abiy Ahmed)
The Paris Debacle
Abiy Ahmed’s participation in the recent Paris conference, during which he made misleading statements, was rebuffed by the head of the World Bank, and was widely ignored by world leaders, underscores his reputation as bungling pariah.
Abiy Ahmed’s false statement, on a global platform, claiming that the term of appointment for Ajay Banga, the new head of the World Bank, was two years was undeniably embarrassing. The erroneous claim exposes his lack of basic facts. It is a straightforward piece of information that could easily have been confirmed with a simple Google search. The easy accessibility of this information amplifies the embarrassment.
Abiy Ahmed’s false remark also sheds light on his unpreparedness when participating in international fora. In international public appearances, where accurate information is essential, leaders come briefed, prepared, and well-informed, with their claims fact-checked for accuracy. As a leader of a country, he is expected to invest the necessary effort to ensure he is well informed. His error highlights his inability to handle global affairs with the required level of diligence.
Abiy Ahmed’s mistake regarding the term of employment for the head of the World Bank has cast doubt on his comprehension of complex issues. If he doesn’t know a simple fact, people may ask: Does he have the patience or the capacity to comprehend intricate matters such as financing climate change?
Abiy Ahmed was rebuked by Mr. Banga, who corrected him by stating that his term of office at the World Bank is five years. The rebuke by Banga has two purposes. He highlighted Abiy’s ignorance of a basic fact regarding the World Bank as an institution. More importantly, the rebuke implied that Abiy may be unqualified to make policy recommendations to the World Bank.
Abiy Ahmed claimed that his government spends $50 billion on planting trees, a false claim that can be easily verified. His hyperbolic assertion reinforces his untrustworthiness, as no country, regardless of its citizens’ dedication to environmental rehabilitation, would allocate 50% of its GDP to tree planting. This false claim highlights his reputation as a deceitful leader, even unable to craft plausible lies.
In addition, he unabashedly announced to the world that Ethiopia has begun to export wheat, disregarding the dire humanitarian situation where international food aid organisations are tirelessly striving to feed the needy. His government’s decision to export wheat amid a severe shortage of food in Ethiopia indicates a profound lack of empathy for its people. He may have anticipated that his statement would impress the global community, instead it unveiled a leader with little concern for the well-being of its citizens. A leader without sympathy for his people is a leader without respect from his people.
The contrast between Abiy Ahmed and William Ruto, the president of Kenya, was stark, in style and substance. They both participated in a panel discussion of prominent individuals. While Ruto was confident, articulate, and persuasive, Abiy appeared timid, insecure, tongue-tied, and unconvincing. Abiy falsely claimed that Ethiopia spends $50 billion on planting trees; Ruto boldly proposed the establishment of a green bank to assist developing countries in financing their transition to green technology. Abiy came across as a fraudster, Ruto as a thinker.
I am not too naïve not to realise that Ruto is being groomed as the West’s main man in Africa. Ruto has been portrayed as a good leader with good qualities that align with the expectations of the Western world. This portrayal emphasises his strong leadership skills, his ability to communicate effectively, and his strategic thinking. Presenting Ruto in this light positions him to advance the interests of the West in Africa.
Western media and diplomats present Kenya as a shining example of democratic governance in the African continent, despite its many democratic deficits. Ruto, although recently elected, has been associated with this positive portrayal of Kenya. He is presented as a leader who upholds democratic values and principles. Even if we acknowledge the democratic tendencies in Kenya, we need to be aware of the underlying motive behind the media’s promotion of Ruto. Nonetheless, the contrast between Ruto and Abiy Ahmed remains significant.
Abiy Ahmed’s Humiliation: The International Snubs
Regrettably, yet predictably, Abiy Ahmed endured palpable snubs at the recent summit in Paris from the President of South Africa, the Chairman of the African Union Commission, and the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), all in one day! These snubs indicate the substantial decline in global respect for Abiy Ahmed and diminished international reputation for Ethiopia. It was disheartening to witness him wandering aimlessly in the reception hall, desperately seeking someone to engage in conversation with. He resembled an unwanted individual at a high school party, shunned by everyone but longing for anyone willing to engage in a chat. It was a sad spectacle. This experience may have momentarily bruised his ego but has permanently shattered the pride that Ethiopians once held in him.
A snub involves actively disregarding, rejecting, or slighting someone in a disrespectful or disdainful manner. Abiy Ahmed experienced several humiliating snubs at the Paris summit in the reception hall. When Abiy extended his hand to shake hands with Kristalina Georgieva, the head of the IMF, she ignored him. He then attempted to engage in conversation with Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, but received no interest. Finally, in desperation, he turned to Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, who also took a pass. This series of events was truly embarrassing for Abiy.
Studies indicate that the purpose behind snubbing varies, but in the case of Abiy Ahmed, the following reasons are pertinent. Snubbing by world leaders can be perceived as a retaliatory measure to sanction Abiy Ahmed’s previous bad behaviour. It is a public punishment of past behaviour. Like children receiving spanking because of their unacceptable behavior, he was snubbed by world leaders to make him feel accountable for his past wrongdoings.
Snubbing functions as a psychological form of punishment. By intentionally ignoring Abiy Ahmed, the world leaders sent a clear message that Abiy Ahmed is considered unworthy of their respect. The snubbing was intended to create feelings of isolation, shame, or embarrassment in Abiy Ahmed. Snubbing served as a medium through which this message was communicated to Ethiopians, other world leaders, and the global public.
Snubbing can be used to impart a lesson to others. Observing the consequences faced by the snubbed individual, Abiy Ahmed, may deter others from engaging in similar wrongdoings. Witnessing the potential impact of the snub on their reputation, other leaders may think twice before engaging in actions that may result in similar social repercussions.
Snubbing generates public humiliation by intentionally subjecting the person, Abiy Ahmed, to embarrassment. As was seen in the video, the humiliation took place through overt actions, such as excluding Abiy Ahmed from conversations, employing subtle dismissive body language, or outright refusal to acknowledge his presence. The objective was to publicly demean Abiy Ahmed and diminish his international standing in the eyes of other world leaders, Ethiopians, and the global public. And it succeeded.
Snubbing can stem from a fear of association with Abiy Ahmed who is internationally stigmatized, a pariah. Other leaders may distance themselves from Abiy Ahmed to protect their own reputation. Snubbing serves to safeguard one’s global standing and avoid being associated with someone perceived as undesirable, Abiy Ahmed.
Abiy Ahmed’s past behaviour has prompted his snubbing on the global stage. His consistent dishonesty towards his counterparts worldwide and heads of international institutions are the underlying causes of his humiliation. Whether in diplomatic negotiations or international forums, he fabricates information, he deceives those he interacts with. This pattern of deception has resulted in many global actors refusing to cooperate with him.
He makes promises, but rarely fulfils them. He presents himself as someone who will take decisive action on his commitments, yet time and time again, he fails to follow through. The global community, like his fellow Ethiopians, has grown weary of his empty rhetoric and broken promises.
He frequently announces impressive policy initiatives but rarely follows through; he occasionally implementing them partially. He presents ambitious vanity projects to the public, but they have little impact on the country’s pressing economic problems. When he requests loans for infrastructure development, lending institutions worry that the funds might be diverted to one of his vanity projects, such as his $1 billion palace. The global community, unlike Ethiopians, does not overlook his failure to deliver on promises. As a result, the country has received fewer loans and grants than it deserves.
He effortlessly tailors his narratives to suit different individuals, groups, governments, or international institutions, customizing his storytelling to align with the preferences of his audience. He presents one version of events to the Chinese and contradicts it for the Americans. He gladly participates in China’s Belt and Road Initiative but complains about China’s presence in Africa to the Americans. He adeptly tells different stories to Ethiopians and foreigners on the same issue. He tells the Amharas that he loves them but complains to the Americans that the Amharas are the obstacle to peace with the TPLF. He narrates one story for one ethnic group and the opposite for another. He tells the Amharas that Wolkait and Tsegede belong to them, but then promises the TPLF that western Tigray will be returned to its rule. The man struggles to maintain consistent narratives.
Abiy Ahmed’s lack of sincerity has cost him international respect. Given his track record of being unable to provide truthful information, it is understandable that some world leaders may be unwilling to engage with him. Recognising his duplicitous behaviour, some have decided to snub him and refrain from having meaningful interactions with him. It is disheartening for Ethiopians to witness that their prime minister is perceived as an international pariah on the world stage.
Editor’s note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com
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Abiy is not a pariah. He is just a useless western puppet. But he is still serving the purpose they wanted to achieve in Ethiopia and the region. Of course he is serving Oromuma – or at least he enabled them embolden when the group was literally nothing – especially militarily. I used to think that Abiy’s behavior is a case of idiocy but it is also a case of sickness – and that is what makes it dangerous to leave the country on his hand. Who in the right mind creates alliance with TPLF with a western mission of regime change in Eritrea. He is sick.
Thanks, Haile Tessema, for the excellent article, it is a very well researched and factually highly accurate and more.
I have read all the three installments you have written and have been impressed by them all.
You have covered a great deal, and covered it well, but there is so much more that can be said about Abiy Ahmed that defy comprehension and mind boggling stuff in general.
Among those include the fact that Abiy Ahmed’s led Ethiopian government being directly and indirectly responsible for the terrorism that was targeting Amhara for mass killings and dislocations in the Oromo region.
He has now reduced the whole of the Amhara region to a war zone, where civilians are imprisoned and slaughtered daily.
It is interesting about his spying for the OLF and NSA or whomever else give him a bit of crumbs.
Still, the man being mad, really niceties and so on aside, we don’t need any more proof than the daily spectacle of the man we have been witnessing to clearly understand that the man, Abiy Ahmed, is out of his f***ing head – how would the US or anyone be able to put any value on the information or whatever else that he has been providing to them.
It is difficult to understand how the US continue to associate themselves with this out and out lunatic, a bungler in chief, we don’t believe that they care much for what the mad man does to Ethiopians, what about their own selves?
They just cleared him of human right abuses, this is a man who has been and continue to be behind so much war crimes, mass killing, dislocations, continued mass imprisonment and torture of journalists and others, widespread lawlessness and gross corruption and more – they said, it is all okay.
It will do your mind in thinking about a country who use the propaganda about its love for democracy, human right, the rule of law to say this man, Abiy Ahmed is okay.
Well, so much madness in the world, the poor die, they count their money and celebrate – or some such, and this is the world we are in.
We have also our own idiots, fools and mercenaries such as Ittu Aba Farda, i_Mognu and a host of others, commenting on the article, whether they are paid or lying for free, who support the bungler in charge, or not in charge, Abiy Ahmed.
Well, thanks again for your excellent article, Haile Tessema, and keep up with the good work!
I really thank you for your openness about why the west are trying to magnify the goodwill of of their puppet african leader,Ruto. What an admission! Honestly speaking, it is hard to deny you a special recognition for unmasking your true face. If you are ok with Ruto’s stand then, it is natural to conclude that a writer like you are serving the interest of the west too. So, expecting something contructive comment from an Ethiopian banda is not worth mentioning. Though, the embarassment you have mentioned is not true and it has never been a tool in international relations, such an embarassment, if any, should be taken as a prove for the patriotism of Dr.Abiy. In stead of being graced for serving the interest of the west while representing a sovereign nation, it is undoubtedly preferable being disgraced for refusing to become a puppet of the neocolonialist. True patriot leaders prefer being himulated for not compromising the national interst of their nation. l Slute you, Dr.Abiy!!
This is mad, completely without any logic whatsoever!!!
What in the world makes you think after reading the article by Haile Tessema that Abiy Ahmed is a patriot?
What a joke, what a silly, silly joke, Abiy Ahmed a patriotic leader?
This is the man who was telling another country that he would die for them, he would fight for them – he wasn’t telling them that he would fight for his country, he would die for his country, Ethiopia.
What you are saying about Ruto is was utterly incomprehensible, again, without logic.
It is the saddest thing that Ethiopia people in power with no intelligence, and they have the likes of you, even with much less intelligence, supporting them! Wow!
God Help Ethiopia, God Help Ethiopia!!!
God knows if you are Haile Tessema what you call yourself what you blubber has no point except expressing insult. That does not matter or your name calling tell that you are an ignorant person with no fact to reason out.
You said $50 B dollars investment is a lie. You are an idiot do you know maths? He said one tree seedling cost $1.00 USD in fact it is more than that but so far Ethiopian people have planted 25 B seedlings and that is $25 B USD if you can understand simple arithmetics.
His plan for the next three years is to double the plantation and hit $50 B USD. This is not rocket in your little mind if you understand even the whole world combined has not invested this much on climate mitigation but Ethiopia has done more than her share but for myopic person such as you is hard to comprehend and rush for an insult.
Let me add to you one more thing. Ethiopians have so many agriculture scientists who even work in so many high profile research centers in the world and so many technocrats who could help the Ethiopian land tillers to be productive. But non of them have recommended for the last 60 years but Abiy in the last four years single handedly pushed Bega wheat farming and made the country self sufficient with out importing wheat. You and your cohorts can blubber and you do not have the moral to criticize Abiy’s work and all his achievements.
Even you mentioned about GERD that Abiy lied in-front your bank roller Egypt. First he did not say about agreement you can view the video again he said we will not harm all down stream countries and that is what he saying even now on the fourth filling. You are parroting the exact wording you’re Arab owners, who pay for your grocery, tell you to say. What a sell out you should be ashamed for yourself to sell your country for a bread crum that is thrown for you.
It seems Hoze, Hulu Yeleyal, ewetu@yahoo.com and the others are all the same people.
And they have an automated posting of comments, these repeated comments shouldn’t have been posted, you are not here to argue a point, you are here to drawn the point being made.
You raise some illogical and unreasonable points, the author has explained things well, so I will not try to repeat.
But You go on telling us Ethiopia is spending 50 billion to plant trees, and we have another telling us a joke, a silly, silly joke, saying Abiy Ahmed a patriotic leader.
Abiy Ahmed, the same the man who was telling another country that he would die for them, he would fight for them – he wasn’t telling them that he would fight for his country, he would die for his country, Ethiopia.
It is the saddest thing that Ethiopia people in power with no intelligence, and they have the likes of y’all here, even with much less intelligence, supporting them! Wow!
God Help Ethiopia, God Help Ethiopia!!!
God knows if you are Haile Tessema what you call yourself what you blubber has no point except expressing insult. That does not matter or your name calling tell that you are an ignorant person with no fact to reason out.
You said $50 B dollars investment is a lie. You are idiot do you know maths? He said one tree seedling cost $1.00 USD in fact it is more than that but so far Ethiopian people have planted 25 B seedlings and that is $25 B USD if you can understand simple arithmetics.
His plan for the next three years is to double the plantation and hit $50 B USD. This is not rocket since in your little mind if you understand even the whole world combined has not invested this much on climate mitigation but Ethiopia has done more than her share but for myopic person such as like you is hard to comprehend and rush for an insult.
Let me add to you one more thing. Ethiopians have so many agriculture scientists who even work in so many high profile research centers
in the world and so many technocrats who could help the Ethiopian land tillers to be productive. But non of them have recommended for the last 60 years but Abiy in the last four years single handedly pushed Bega wheat farming and made the country self sufficient with out importing wheat. You and your cohorts can blubber and you do not have the moral to criticize Abiy’s work and all his achievements.
Even you mentioned about GERD that Abiy lied in-front your bank roller Egypt. First he did not say about agreement you can view the video again he said we will not harm all down stream countries and that is what he saying even now on the fourth filling. You are parroting the exact wording you’re Arab owners, who pay for your grocery, tell you to say. What a sell out you should be ashamed for yourself to sell your country for a bread crum that is thrown for you.
God knows if you are Haile Tessema what you call yourself what you blubber has no point except expressing insult. That does not matter or your name calling tell that you are an ignorant person with no fact to reason out.
You said $50 B dollars investment is a lie. You are idiot do you know maths? He said one tree seedling cost $1.00 USD in fact it is more than that but so far Ethiopian people have planted 25 B seedlings and that is $25 B USD if you can understand simple arithmetics.
His plan for the next three years is to double the plantation and hit $50 B USD. This is not rocket since in your little mind if you understand even the whole world combined has not invested this much on climate mitigation but Ethiopia has done more than her share but for myopic person such as like you is hard to comprehend and rush for an insult.
Let me add to you one more thing. Ethiopians have so many agriculture scientists who even work in so many high profile research centers in the world and so many technocrats who could help the Ethiopian land tillers to be productive. But non of them have recommended for the last 60 years but Abiy in the last four years single handedly pushed Bega wheat farming and made the country self sufficient with out importing wheat. You and your cohorts can blubber and you do not have the moral to criticize Abiy’s work and all his achievements.
Even you mentioned about GERD that Abiy lied in-front your bank roller Egypt. First he did not say about agreement you can view the video again he said we will not harm all down stream countries and that is what he saying even now on the fourth filling. You are parroting the exact wording you’re Arab owners, who pay for your grocery, tell you to say. What a sell out you should be ashamed for yourself to sell your country for a bread crum that is thrown for you.
It seems Hoze, Hulu Yeleyal, ewetu@yahoo.com and the others are all the same people.
And they have an automated posting of comments, otherwise, these repeated comments shouldn’t have been posted.
Anyway, you are not here to argue a point, you are here to drawn the excellent point being made about Abiy Ahmed.
You go on about some illogical things, the author has explained things very well, so I will not try and repeat things here.
But You go on telling us Ethiopia is spending 50 billion to plant trees, and we have another telling us a joke, a silly, silly joke, saying Abiy Ahmed a patriotic leader.
Abiy Ahmed, the same the man who was telling another country that he would die for them, he would fight for them – he wasn’t telling them that he would fight for his country, he would die for his country, Ethiopia.
It is the saddest thing that Ethiopia people in power with no intelligence, and they have the likes of y’all here, even with much less intelligence, supporting them! Wow!
God Help Ethiopia, God Help Ethiopia!!!