Abiy Ahmed denounces Eritrea’s industrial decline
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Fanamc
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says Eritrea has gone from having more than 300 industries before independence to an economy marked by decline and the suspension of many projects. He cited the port cities of Massawa and Assab as places stripped of their activity in a televised interview in Tigrinya reported by Fanamc.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denounced Eritrea’s industrial and urban decline since its independence in 1993, saying the country had more than 300 industries when it was part of Ethiopia, Fanamc reports. In a recent televised interview in Tigrinya, he contrasted that legacy with the current deterioration of cities such as Massawa and Assab.
Abiy described Massawa as having lost much of its former activity and Assab as a ghost town. Located on the Red Sea, the cities were economic and commercial centres, but their potential had not been turned into engines of growth, according to the Ethiopian prime minister. He also recalled the promise to make Eritrea the “Singapore of Africa” after independence.
The Ethiopian leader linked the economic stagnation to the country’s political and social conditions. Human Rights Watch’s 2026 World Report says indefinite national service continues and that there have been no national elections since independence. Abiy also referred to restrictions on freedoms and the departure of many young Eritreans in search of opportunities.
The criticism comes amid tensions between the two countries. On 16 October, Yoel Yohannes accused the Eritrean regime of breaking its young people, according to an article published earlier.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
