Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on residents of the Amhara region to move beyond their differences and adopt a language of dialogue.
The appeal comes as the government seeks to promote national unity and reconciliation in a region marked by historical tension and conflict. By focusing on dialogue, the administration aims to stabilize the northern part of the country and foster long-term peace among diverse ethnic groups.
Abiy Ahmed said the remarks during the opening ceremony of the Bahir Dar airport in northern Ethiopia [1], [2]. The facility serves as a critical infrastructure point for the Amhara region, which has faced significant instability in recent years.
The inauguration carries symbolic weight because the airport was bombed during the war with the Tigray Front in 2020 [1]. The reconstruction and reopening of the site are intended to signal a transition from wartime destruction to civil development.
During the event, the Prime Minister said citizens need to set aside grievances to build a shared future [1], [2]. He said the physical restoration of the airport reflects a broader need for the restoration of social and political ties within the country.
The Amhara region has remained a focal point of internal security challenges since the 2020 conflict [1]. The government's push for a "language of dialogue" is part of a wider effort to integrate various regional factions into a unified national framework, while addressing the scars of previous violence.
“move beyond differences and adopt a language of dialogue”
The reopening of the Bahir Dar airport is an attempt by the Ethiopian government to use infrastructure development as a tool for political reconciliation. By linking the physical rebuilding of a site destroyed in the 2020 conflict to the conceptual rebuilding of national unity, the administration is attempting to pivot the public narrative from ethnic grievance toward state-led stability.
