Now that the go-ahead has been given to conduct 2020’s delayed general elections all political parties are duty-bound to make the necessary preparations to earn the consent of voters.

As Ethiopians celebrated the advent of 2013 on September 11 the messages conveyed by different sections of the public underscored the importance of averting a recurrence of the ills of the past during the New Year.

As Ethiopians usher in the Ethiopian New Year the first order of business must be to resolve the dangerous standoff between the federal and Tigray regional state governments over the regional elections held by the latter this week.

Ethiopia cannot be a land of peace, democracy and social justice as long as all political actors disrespect the public. A peaceful and democratic political engagement will remain elusive if the ruling party in particular and its rivals do not put the public interest above theirs.

Ethiopia’s elites need to be encouraged when they strive to learn from the mistakes of the past to build a better future.

There seems to be no end in sight to the economic havoc the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking on the global economy.

Ethiopia continues to be beset by multi-pronged challenges endangering public peace and national security. Politicians loathe to engage in a constructive dialogue are not stopping at anything, including spilling the blood of innocent citizens, to settle a score.

Presently Ethiopians have a raft of critical undertakings on their plate.

Ethiopian politics continues to be a shouting match between the vocal minority that are adept at drowning out the silent majority.

The instigators of the recent violence in which hundreds of innocent civilians were brutally massacred and had their properties burned to the ground are now accusing the government of using excessive force to quell the violence and pontificating about respect for human rights.