What is the problem with these Potemkin Party charlatans? How can one explain their delusional infatuation with Assab and Eritrea's sovereign coastal areas?
A couple of years ago, the President of the Oromia Region claimed that "Ereccha" will be celebrated on "the shores of the Red Sea" next year! Few days ago, some Army Generals unfurled an outrageous map that incorporates Eritrea's southern coastline! And now, this notorious member of Parliament and rabid advocate of domination pledges that "Christmas" will be celebrated in Assab next year!
Perhaps these political novices are bewitched by their new-found positions of authority: "ሜስ'ሲ ንዘይፈልጦ የጥርጦ"፥ ከም ዝበሃል።
The more apt explanation is the very substance and moral ethos of the Potemkin Party.
And in this respect, the Algebraic Formula needs updating:
Prosperity Party (aka Potemkin Party) signature media trademark is better encapsulated in the following algebraic equation; PP propaganda = Optics + Posturing + Deception + Disinformation + Delusion; (the five variables have different weights depending on the event/intended objective).
https://t.co/fEtrj5NGOk
𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮
KENYA — ⚠️ The tourist seen in a viral social media video dodging bullets fired by what appeared to be Ethiopian federal police near the Awash-Djibouti junction has safely arrived in Kenya.
The incident has once again highlighted the deteriorating security situation facing travelers outside #Ethiopia's capital.
Large parts of the country remain affected by armed conflict and lawlessness, with fighting continuing across several regions.
As government control over security has weakened, armed groups and criminal bandits have become increasingly active, carrying out attacks, robberies, and kidnappings of road travelers along major highways.
The incident serves as another reminder of the security risks facing both residents and foreign visitors traveling beyond the capital Addis Ababa.
✪ THE SECOND BEST STRATEGIC OPTION
The port of #Assab carries political and strategic importance, yet turning it into a modern commercial port would demand hundreds of millions of dollars, an amount that is far beyond Eritrea’s current financial capacity. Even if such funds were available, relying on future Ethiopian import and export traffic to repay the investment would leave the country exposed to unnecessary risk.
Eritrea has other pressing domestic priorities that require attention long before any attempts to revive Assab as a modern commercial port.
On top of that, Ethiopian officials have signaled that their interest in "sovereign Red Sea access" is tied to naval ambitions rather than trade, which makes the idea even less practical.
Many Eritreans, including myself, however, believe there is a more practical path forward: instead of pursuing a commercial model, Assab could be transformed into a «military and logistical hub» in partnership with our regional allies who share strategic interests in the Red Sea.
For example, Egypt, besides Saud Arabia, would likely join such a partnership without hesitation.
This approach not only provide predictable revenue without straining public finance, it also reinforce Eritrea’s defensive posture at a time when Ethiopian leaders continue to circulate expansionist narratives that defies international law and question Eritrean sovereignty.
Our government has repeatedly warned against these threats, and therefore, turning Assab into a fortified military asset would make it clear that the nation’s borders are not negotiable.
Such policy shift is believed to help Eritrea safeguard its coastline, enhance security in the Bab al Mandab corridor, and reduce the risk of future provocations.
Unless our government has a more effective plan under its sleeves, it's high time to reconsider such a realistic option that anchors the port’s future in national security interests.
--* #My2cents *--