There are still many who challenge the freedom and sovereignty of the country, but they will not be able to keep us from our path, he said.

“We will stand firm in the truth and we will fight. The Creator is with Ethiopia. We Ethiopians will not bow down to any earthly power,” Ahmed assured.

We must work, he stressed, to overcome poverty, which is our greatest enemy, by improving our culture of sacrifice and engaging in all fields of development.

We are called upon, the Prime Minister added, to turn celebrations such as Irreecha into an opportunity to strengthen our unity, a very important tool to overcome campaigns launched with the aim of hindering our journey to prosperity.

Also called Irreessa or Dhibaayyuu, Irreecha is a thanksgiving feast that celebrates the end of winter in the Oromia region, whose people thank Waaqa (God) for the blessings and mercies received during the last 12 months.

The celebration takes place every year and its main venue is Bishoftu, a town located in the center of the country, where thousands of people go to the lakes and dip freshly cut green grass and flowers.

mh/ro/raj.