Afar Business Council Battles to Reorganize After Conflict’s Fallout

By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter 

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- The Afar Region Chamber of Sectoral Associations has announced that it has been unable to fully reorganize its membership in the aftermath of the devastating conflict in Northern Ethiopia.

Speaking to Ethio FM, the council’s Secretary General, Hassan Usman, said the war had inflicted significant damage on the region’s economic infrastructure. “The war in the north caused extensive destruction to our business community. As a result, we have not been able to restore normal operations,” he stated.

According to Hassan, the conflict severely disrupted commercial institutions across all 18 woredas (districts) in the region, leading to a massive collapse in business activity. “Most of the enterprises that existed before the war have either ceased to exist or are struggling to recover,” he added.

The Afar region was one of the areas heavily affected during the two-year Northern Ethiopia conflict. Infrastructure, including roads, markets, and trade centers, was heavily damaged, displacing tens of thousands and paralyzing local economies.

Hassan explained that the council currently has the capacity to reach only 9 of the 18 woredas, limiting its ability to regroup its members. “We are trying to bring back members who were displaced during the war, but it’s proving extremely difficult,” he said.

Efforts are now being made, in collaboration with the regional Trade Bureau, to re-register members through the renewal of business licenses. However, economic hardship remains a major obstacle. “Our revenue used to come from member contributions, but now most of them are financially incapable of making any payments,” Hassan lamented.

He also admitted that the council has fallen short of its responsibility to support the business community during and after the crisis. “We haven’t been able to deliver what was expected of us,” he acknowledged.

The Secretary General stated that the council is working to revise its operational framework and advocate for more balanced and realistic government levies that consider the current economic conditions of local businesses.

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