Complete collapse of the Ethiopian economy into a state of worthless currency and financial chaos is drawing closer every day. Long lines for diesel or gasoline costing many times its traditional costs are now a reality in the capital city of Addis Ababa. In a country where 50% of food requirements must be imported now the government has announced there will be no more food subsidy which will send prices soaring.
Over $2.5 billion in debt has been added just this year in payments to countries (UAE, Turkey, Iran )in hard foreign currency or gold reserves. This has resulted in cuts to medical services and supplies, education, infrastructure, and housing as well as the ending of food and fuel subsidies.
The Ethiopian economy and the value of its currency has been on a continual downslide since Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party took office in 2018. While for the previous 10 years the Ethiopian economy grew at 10% annually for the upcoming year it has become unpredictable but estimated to be -2 to -3% by the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile the total Ethiopian government debt is now projected to be $60 billion by the end of 2022 and approach $100 billion in the next four years. The Ethiopian government now no longer publishes Consumer Price Index numbers.