3 - Unlocking the Ethiopian Paradox

Abstract

Many have been the moments in history when Ethiopia attracted more than its fair share of global attention. In 1896, it astounded the world by coming out victorious over the Italian invading forces, thereby reversing in emphatic fashion the tide of colonial rule. In 1935, it evoked worldwide solidarity as the first victim of the Fascist aggression that was to evolve four years later into the conflagration of the Second World War. In 1984, a devastating famine moved the world into a massive show of solidarity through mobilization for relief and an iconic song involving almost all the known pop stars. Nowadays, the country is lauded as one of the fastest growing African economies, even if its human rights record is not without blemishes.