Ethiopia is a rising regional power, pursuing greater security and integration with its neighbours. Elections in May 2015 reinforced the mandate of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, with the ruling party winning every seat in parliament. The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) will oversee the implementation of a new economic plan, which aims to make Ethiopia a middle-income country by 2025.

The pace of political, economic, demographic and social change in Ethiopia is set to accelerate in the coming decades. Governance and development priorities will need to be adapted to meet the demands of a transforming society and keep pace with population growth rates which could see Ethiopia among the top ten most populous countries in the world by 2050.

The speakers will discuss the interplay of contemporary Ethiopian politics, economics and society.

The event will launch the new book Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia: Monarchy, Revolution and the Legacy of Meles Zenawi , edited by Gérard Prunier and Éloi Ficquet, published by Hurst.

Participants 

Gérard Prunier, Senior Fellow, Africa Center, The Atlantic Council
Éloi Ficquet, Associate Professor, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)
Discussants:

Bruck Teshome, Doctoral Fellow, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Elise Dufief, Associate Researcher, Northwestern University and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)
Chair: Jason Mosley, Associate Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House