2018 Personality of the Year nominee: Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed

It is that time of the year again when we look back on the news year and pick a person or institution that impacted the news over the course of the last twelve months.

Our nominations is the first of a three-step process. An online – Twitter poll – will in addition to our in-house poll lead to the crowning of our personality of the year – January 1, 2019.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed shot into the news circle in March when the ruling coalition nominated him to become the head of government. Ethiopia at the time was suffering anti-government protests.

Since replacing Hailemariam Desalegn in April 2018, Abiy has all but turned the country downside up. Internally, the political and democratic space has been opened with multiple opposition groups returning home from exile.

Abiy has also opened Ethiopia up to fellow Africans with ease in visa application and implementation of a visa on arrival policy in early November. The peace deal with Eritrea is well documented and the drive to get women participation has been welcomed home and abroad. Read more...