Ethiopia PM’s Visit to Austria for UN general conference met with Sparks of Criticisms

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zinash Tayachew arrived in Vienna, Austria, to attend the 20th General Conference of the UN Industrial Development Organisation, where the Prime Minister is the guest of honor. The visit, however, has ignited a storm of criticism on social media, particularly on X formerly known as Twitter.

As part of the Conference’s festivities, a high-level dinner was held to welcome dignitaries. Despite the formalities, a wave of discontent surged online, with various individuals expressing their skepticism about the Prime Minister’s overseas engagement.

Semir, tweeting as @SemirWoldu, remarked, “History teaches us nothing. Like what really can they provide for us that we don’t have here in our #Africa. Why go 1000 miles when we can get it from our motherland and enjoy?”

Sulamit, using the handle @Sulamit_Wegahta, suggested, “Begging or offering Ethiopia as a mercenary land for European interests? It can only be one of the two.”

AK, with the Twitter handle @akliyatoss, raised suspicions about the purpose of the Prime Minister’s visit, stating, “It ain’t a reason for the prime minister to go out of the country for an industry meeting. That is others’ jobs unless there is another hidden meeting or deal on something.”

Gualmendefera Mei, tweeting as @gualmendef, expressed a sentiment of seeking validation from Western countries, stating, “Always need validation from Western countries to live.”

Semir, in another tweet, captured the frustration, “Oh #Africa! With all the blessings you provided us, your children betray you. When are we going to learn that all we need is in our houses right under our feet? We seek the approval of white supremacy.”

The online backlash suggests a divided opinion among the public regarding the Prime Minister’s decision to attend the conference, with concerns ranging from economic dependencies to questioning the necessity of his presence at an industry meeting abroad.