Ethiopia: Abiy Ahmed sends Ministers for Military training (Photos)

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has put cabinet ministers and other senior government officials through military training, arguing that discipline and experience gained from the armed forces could help build stronger leaders and accelerate the country's development.

Photographs shared by Abiy on social media show him participating in military exercises alongside ministers, deputy ministers and heads of government institutions at the Hurso Military Training Centre in Ethiopia.

The initiative is unusual in the country, where senior civilian government officials are rarely seen taking part in military exercises.

Among those identified as participants are Muferiat Kamil, Speaker of the House of Federation, Finance Minister Fitsum Assefa and Health Minister Mekdes Daba.

However, the Ethiopian government has not disclosed the exact date when the programme began or how long the training is expected to last.

It is also unclear how many government officials are involved in the exercise.

In a statement shared on social media, Abiy said Ethiopia’s ambition to achieve comprehensive prosperity requires leaders who are physically fit, morally strong and intellectually capable.

He described military institutions as important centres for developing discipline, patriotism, teamwork, accountability and leadership, saying these qualities could also improve the performance of civilian officials.

The Prime Minister argued that combining military experience with civilian responsibilities would help create a new generation of leaders capable of working together, taking responsibility and delivering national development objectives.

“Soldiers have targets while civilians have goals. The objective of both is victory,” Abiy said, explaining that both military and civilian institutions require commitment and discipline to achieve their respective responsibilities.

He added that military training could help government officials develop a stronger sense of purpose, responsibility and coordination while strengthening their ability to work towards common national objectives.

Training is taking place as Ethiopia faces several security challenges across different parts of the country, including continued fighting in parts of the northern Tigray region, armed conflict in Amhara and persistent insecurity in Oromia.

The country is also experiencing heightened tensions with neighbouring Eritrea, raising concerns about the possibility of renewed military confrontation between the two countries.

Relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have deteriorated amid disagreements over Ethiopia’s access to the Red Sea and its interest in securing a maritime outlet.

The situation has increased concerns about regional stability, particularly given the history of conflict between the two neighbours.

Although Abiy has not directly linked the latest training programme to these security developments, his government has repeatedly emphasised military preparedness as an important component of national security and Ethiopia's broader development ambitions.

The latest initiative also reflects the Prime Minister's efforts to incorporate military principles into public administration, particularly in areas of institutional coordination, accountability and implementation of government policies.

Abiy’s administration has previously promoted the concept of Medemer, an Amharic term commonly translated as “Synergy”, as a guiding philosophy for national unity, cooperation and development.

Under this approach, the government has emphasised collective responsibility and cooperation among institutions as important elements in achieving Ethiopia’s long-term objectives.

However, details about the military programme, including its curriculum, selection process and whether similar exercises will be extended to other public officials, have not been made public.

Photos