In Ethiopia, the economic miracle threatened by the conflict in Tigray

In Ethiopia, the economic miracle threatened by the conflict in Tigray

"It's double the penalty!" Laments Yared Mulugeta, director of Addis Ababa based travel agency Monpays Tours. "First there was the coronavirus which made us lose eight months," he said, pointing to his reservations table, desperately empty: "And when we thought that business would finally resume, war broke out . " The conflict in Tigray, which has pitted the federal government against the dissident Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) party since November 4, has penalized the entire tourism industry. A sector that contributes 10% to Ethiopia's GDP and employs more than 2 million people. However, as “approximately 85% of [his] trips pass through Tigray”, Yared Mulugeta had to cancel everything. With the remains of the Akumite kingdom and the many Orthodox monasteries, the northern province is the favorite area for travel agencies; the one that contains the main attractions for foreign visitors. Industry professionals are now worried about the lack of prospects, while tourists initially scheduled for early 2021 "have all canceled" because of the security risk. Commercial flights to the province and its surroundings had however gradually resumed after the visit of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on December 13 to Mekele, the capital of Tigray, taken over by the federal army earlier this month. Mr. Abiy assures, the military operation is well and truly over, leaving room for a provisional government supposed to repair the damaged infrastructure. While the Ethiopian army and Amhara militias control all towns in Tigray, fighting continues in the area, diplomatic sources said. TPLF leaders retreated in early December but claim to want to fight "to death" from the mountains, raising fears of long-term guerrilla warfare. Federal troops, who are struggling to dislodge them, offer a reward of 210,000 euros to anyone who could help find them.