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Annoyed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) denied a passing comment by prominent finance and insurance guru Eyesuswork Zafu during a discussion on the liberalization of the telecom sector and the privatization of ethio telecommunications when the latter referred to to the Prime Minister’s Party as EPRDF-2. Eyesuswork said that he generally calls out to the ruling EPRDF-2 party when commenting on the issues of privatization of ethio telecom and liberalization of the telecom market which was decided unanimously by the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) two years ago.
Abiy, who was offended that his party was referred to as EPRDF, said that although he said he is not speaking directly about Eyesuswork who said so, some opposition politicians call them EPRDF to discredit them.
“We are not EPRDF,” Abiy said, “We are not EPRDF-2 either. We dismantled EPRDF. We are Prosperity. EPRDF no longer exists since May. This is not correct and you must call us by our legal name. The opposition camp tries to lower us by calling us EPRDF when they lack ideas to challenge us. We came out of what they failed to dismantle. Our name is Prosperity, it is the Prosperity Party that is leading now, it is Prosperity that will lead until the elections, and if the Ethiopians decide to give it to others, we will respect that decision. Until then we are called Prosperity and if another winner comes to power, we will return the favor by calling him by name, “he said.
He also regretted that this policy practice to discredit others in this way has never helped anyone and added that he understands that Eyesuswork does not intend to do so but this opens the way for opposition who intends to do so.
The discussion held in the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday, September 7, 2020, raised several issues and concerns related to the liberalization of the telecommunications sector, as well as the privatization of the 40 percent stake in the state monopoly Ethio Telecom. While the government reserves 55 percent of Ethio’s telecommunications, the remaining 5 percent will be sold to Ethiopian citizens.
According to Eyob Tekalegh (PhD), Minister of State Finance, preparations have been made to liberalize the telecommunications market by granting two operating licenses and to liberalize ethio telecoms. Therefore, the offer for the two licenses will be launched in September and will remain afloat for 4 to 50 days. In January or February, the winners will sign an agreement with the government and obtain their licenses.
The government has also hired consultants to carry out asset valuation, advise on transaction matters, spectrum valuation and results triangulation, he added. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the loan arm of the World Bank Group, Roland Barger, Ernst and Young, Gong, Coleago Consulting and Jones Day have thrown their hats into the ring to take over the huge consulting contract to be made available. in relation to the privatization process.
For licensing service providers, the government had called interested groups in May 2020 to express their interest and 12 companies submitted their interest.
The regulatory body for the telecommunications sector, the Ethiopian Communications Authority, has been instituted along with the necessary legal frameworks governing the sector, including a proclamation and 16 directives.
Some attendees expressed concern that the sector’s regulatory body is not strong enough and there is a lack of experience to meet the demands of newcomers to the market, as well as control their activities. Others also said that the government is not providing enough information to both investors and the public.
Forex repair problems and infrastructure construction by new entrants was part of the discussions that took place earlier this week.
