03 Mar 2018 | 09:42 PM UTC
Ethiopia: Parliament ratifies state of emergency March 2 /update 3
Ethiopian parliament ratifies state of emergency March 2; ruling coalition expected to nominate next prime minister during week of March 5
Event
On Friday, March 2, the Ethiopian parliament ratified the state of emergency announced on February 16 following the resignation of then-Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The ruling coalition is expected to nominate Desalegn's successor during the week of March 5.
A heightened security presence is expected in Addis Ababa and other Ethiopian cities amid the state of emergency. Despite a ban on protests, associated demonstrations and transportation disruptions are possible in the coming weeks and months.
Context
The Ethiopian Council of Ministers announced the implementation of a nationwide state of emergency on February 16, following the resignation of Desalegn. He is expected, however, to continue to serve as acting prime minister until parliament names a successor. The Ethiopian Defense Ministry confirmed on February 17 that the nationwide state of emergency would remain in place for six months - through the end of August 2018. Associated measures, implemented amid an increasingly tense security environment, include a ban on protests and the production and distribution of publications deemed to incite violence.
The move comes amid increasingly rapid reforms undertaken by the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) in recent weeks. The constituent regional parties of the EPRDF, the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization (OPDO), and the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) have reportedly been locked in a power struggle to replace Desalegn following his resignation.
Advice
Individuals in Ethiopia are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid any large gatherings and demonstrations due to the risk of violence, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities or their home government.
On a more general note, due to the terrorist threat linked to the Somali group Al-Shabaab, many Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the Ogaden region and other areas along the border with Somalia, as well as nonessential travel to the rest of the Ethiopian Somali region. The Eritrean, Sudanese, South Sudanese, and Kenyan borders are also considered high-risk destinations.
