Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has called for togetherness as he returned home after concluding his three-state Diaspora tour to the United States.
“All citizens should do their part so that all Ethiopians can live in love under the umbrella of one country,” he said at a press conference.
“We should work together for the unity of the country, irrespective of ethnicity and religious differences,” he said.
The Premier added that his meetings with Ethiopian Diaspora community living in three states of the United States were successful.
During the meeting, Ethiopians have demonstrated their commitment to dismantiling their differences and building bridges, he stated.
“We broke the wall and cleared the ruins in Washington DC, Los Angeles and Minnesota,” the Prime Minister said.
His Holiness Abune Merkorios, the fourth Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), placed the first brick for the building of a bridge as he arrived in Addis Ababa today after 27 years, he said.
The Premier further said he had invited Ethiopians living in the United States to come home in the upcoming Ethiopian New Year.
During his stay in the United States, the Premier also spoke with leaders of Patriotic Ginbot 7 as well as activists Jawar Mohammed and Tamagn Beyene.
According to the Prime Minister, they will return home soon and take part in building a bridge for unity.
The Premier finally extended his gratitude for Ethiopia Diaspora in the United States for their warm welcome, love, and hospitality.
In his six-day stay in the United States, the Premier also met with US Vice President Mike Pence, World Bank
Group President, Jim Yong Kim, and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde.
Premier calls for togetherness as he returns home from US
Patriotic Ginbot 7 decides to return home within a month
Patriotic Ginbot 7 announced that it will return to Ethiopia.
In a press conference its leaders issued, the decision to return home comes following a discussion held with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) in Washington DC on July 27, 2018.
“The discussion was fruitful,” the leaders said.
“Patriotic Ginbot 7 is convinced that the current situation in Ethiopia is favorable to engage in a peaceful struggle,” they said.
They leaders also vowed to provide the necessary support for the reforms underway in the country.
The Patriotic Ginbot7 announced last month that it had unilaterally suspended all self-defense activities using arms.
“As of today June 22, 2018, Patriotic Ginbot 7 has suspended all self-defense operations using fire arms in all regions of Ethiopia,” it said in a press release.
Newly appointed Waliya boss Abraham at ease and confident
With the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifying second round group match against Sierra Leone in just six weeks, the newly appointed Ethiopian national team Coach Abraham Mebratu remarked that he is not having a problem selecting players because he has been following the recent league season closely.
“Being a CAF Coaching Instructor I know a lot about the Ethiopian Premier League and am lucky to have Sewnet Bishaw beside me, for he is someone to depend on,” Abraham stated at a press conference held in Capital Hotel on Tuesday.
Coming back from a decade stay in Yemen Football, Abraham has now been bestowed the responsibility of reviving an Ethiopian national team that had been forgotten over the past eight months. A long vacant hot seat, a newly elected EFF executive body, a recently closed league season and above all footballers wondering around, many suggests Abraham has a high hill to mount and a short time to build a strong national squad. The qualifying matches for the Nations Cup in Sierra Leone are on September 23, 2018 followed by a home match against Kenya on October 5, then a return leg in Nairobi after four days.
Luckily, Abraham was handed no ultimatum unlike his predecessors; Yohannes Sahle, Gebremedin Haile and Ashenafi Bekele. He promised nothing and is therefore free of any pressure from the Federation. “It is not all about the 2019 Cameroon qualification but our main goal is about building a strong national team for the 2020 CHAN Championship stages,” EFF president Essayas Jirra told the conference.
Abraham’s short term plan is to select three players in each position and then select the final 23 players to be ready for the qualification matches.
Gebremedin leaves champions to take over Mekele
Bagging his first ever Ethiopian Premier League title with this season’s surprise package Jimma AbaJifar, head coach Gebremedin Haile flew to Tigrai region to look for a new adventure with last season’s strong side Mekele. The Champions AbaJifar is to start rebuilding because a number of its key players migrated to the Tigrai region following their boss. “I wonder why he left the side that he built from the scratch to a miraculous championship title. It is amazing even leading AbaJIfar into the 2018/19 African Champions League didn’t interest him,” Admassu Assefa said.
Although it is a rare case that champion coaches leave their teams, Gebre may be looking for a new adventure with Mekele famous for huge home support and a lavish stadium. In addition to securing a lucrative new contract with Mekele, a number of his squad members who played a huge role in helping AbaJifar to dream championship are on their way to Mekele after signing new contracts.
The 2015 African Nations Cup veteran Seyoum Tesfaye from Dedebit, former national team defender Elias Biyadgelegn from Woldya, winger Samuel Saliso and midfielder Yared Hassen from Woldya, Ghanaian midfielder Gabriel Ahmed, and the midfield duos from champions AbaJifar: Yonas Germew and Amin Nesru are the star player that have reached Mekele. They also have extended the much appreciated Guinean goalie Philip Avono’s contract for another season.
After signing his handpicked players while others are playing hide and seek with the players’ transfer market jokers’ and fat pocketed middle-men, it appears that Gebremedin could quite achieve a new adventure and retain the title with a new team.
