Journalist Martin Plaut considers this to be the beginning of the problems facing modern Ethiopia. "The TPLF and Meles Zenawi were never prepared to allow democracy and real federalism," he told DW. But the focus on ethnic differences in the constitution has not been without consequence:"As soon as you increase the focus on ethnicity and make ethnicity the basis of the state, you basically stoke up ethnic tensions," said Plaut.

Ethiopia's Abay new motor show in Addis Ababa (Getty Images/AFP/J. Cendon)
Ethiopia's economy is booming with car assemblies like this one (pictured above) but many still live below the poverty line

For some observers, the deadly clashes over the past few weeks would appear to be harbingers of an ethnically-motivated civil war. It seems like ethnic tensions are being expressed with increasing intensity. But the causes are complex.

Over the past few years, one issue in particular has repeatedly exacerbated the ethnic tensions in Ethiopia: the side effects of rapid economic growth. Since 2000, gross domestic product has increased almost tenfold, raising questions over who actually benefits from this increase in prosperity.

For example, the violent expropriation of many Oromo people following the spread of the economic boom in the capital Addis Ababa is considered one of the triggers for the ongoing unrest. While a small number of government-connected oligarchs are accumulating more and more wealth, most Ethiopians are not experiencing the so-called economic miracle, with nearly six million people dependent on food aid.

KHARTOUM

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Tuesday announced plans to build a railway system linking Sudan to Ethiopia and South Sudan.

"We will connect [Sudan’s] railway lines to Ethiopia," al-Bashir said while inaugurating a new train line linking capital Khartoum to the city of Wad Madani, the regional capital of Sudan’s central El Gezira State.

“We also seek to link our railway to South Sudan so that it might serve as a transit hub with Kenya and Uganda, thus facilitating the movement of people and goods to those countries," al-Bashir added.

The 637-key five-star hotel near the Millenium Hall will have a duty-free shop, cultural shop, an aviation museum and parking lots built on a 22,410sqm plot of land.

The airline is also constructing another hotel at the same place bringing total number of rooms to be operated by the Airlines to 1,110. The two hotels will lie on a combined 42,410sqm plot of land.

Completion of the project is expected within two and half years after awarding the contract.

Ethiopian Airlines believes that the hotel will provide a good environment for tourists besides accommodating passengers during transits, layovers or technical delays.

Read:Hotel sector in Ethiopia to continue expanding
Established in 1946, Ethiopian Airlines has 36 load, 95 global and 19 household goals. As of April 30, 2017, the organization’s staff come to more than 13,484. Amid the 2015/16 monetary year, it got a 6.12 billion Br benefit. That year, it conveyed around 7.5 million travelers.

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the most profitable airlines in the continent and has won several accolades in the recent past including African Airline of the Year in 2015 and 2016 by the African Aviation.

In 2014 it was ranked the largest in Africa in revenue by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The airline reported a 70 per cent jump in full year 2016 net profit to $265 million boosted by an 18 per cent increase in passenger numbers over the period.

A PwC report released last year reveals that the Hotel industry in Ethiopia is expected to be a major beneficiary from the promising economic outlook of the country.

In a report titled “Opportunities Abound for Foreign Investment in Africa’s Hospitality Sector”, PwC notes that Ethiopia is set to boost investment in the hospitality sector in order to generate more foreign earnings.

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