ኣሉላ ኣባ ነጋ ዓለም ለኸ መዕረፍ አየርፕላን (Alula Aba Nega International Airport, Mekelle, Tigray
North Ethiopia)
The capital city of Tigray Regional State has an airport,
which carries the name of Alula Aba Nega, one of the greatest generals
and political leaders Africa ever had. Alula Aba Nega led wars against
Italian , Ottoman Turks and Egypt's invasion, which ended up in the victory of Ethiopia. He served
his country under Emperor Yohaness.
The Alula Aba Nega InternationalAirport was opened to public in the mid nineties. Mekelle had a small air port duing the regimes of Haile Selassie and Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam. However, the current airport was meant to facilitate international flights from major cities in the world directly to Mekelle as a transit to other cities in Ethiopia. In the last 20 years or so since the opening of the MEKELLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, not a single flight from the major cities of the world (London, Frankfurt, Paris, Washington etc) has been enabled.
We have been wonndering why this did not happen in the last 28 years of EPRDF rule. The folks in Tigray think that TPLF has forgotten Tigray after Meles Zenawi entered Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. This seems to be true as there are few insignificant development projects in Tigray, supported by the federal government in Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa has been using 70% of the financial resources Ethiopia has. The people of Tigray do support the development of Addis Ababa to be a modern monopol. However, this should have been harmonised with developments in the regional capital cities. Addis Ababa should not be as large as Paris. It could be as small as Geneva and be still the diplomatic capital of the world. The point is the attitude of the policy makers in Ethiopia has been counter productive and tribal. The Haile Selassie Regime developed Addis Ababa and surroundings. It actively opposed any development of the provinces. The Military Regime showed little change as it was as chauvinistic as the regimes before them. TPLF-EPRDF lost the balance between the center and the peripheries. TPLF-EPRDF, a stalinist group, was forcing the industrialisation of Ethiopia at gunpoint. It succeded in creating a robust base for a meaningful economic development (electrification and industrialisation). Thanks to TPLF-EPRDF, Ethiopia might be able to jumpstart the economic developments it has been yearning for since 19th century. Kings and war lords of 18th century Ethiopia were corresponding with European powers requesting them to invest in Ethiopia.
The Mekelle International Airport should have been supported by TPLF-EPRDF to serve internationl flights as it could have brought enormous economic benefits to Tigray Regional State. The city of Mekelle is closer to European and Asian destinations, which means shorter travel time, less fuel and less expenses for travellers. Transits via Mekelle could be made for flights from London, Paris, Frankfurt etc. As flight costs will be much less, there could be a high flow of passengers. This would not affect the number of flights to Addis Ababa, the country's capital. will travel more enjoyable and will save passengers the stress they have to gro through by using Ethiopia's capital as a transit to destination to any part of this unfortunate country.
Mekelle could have more hotels, restaurants and other leisure centres areas to make visitors have more enjoyable time. Mekelle has poor infratsturcture: roads are narrow, the hotel industry lacks the verybasic things one would expect to find, water and electricity supplies interrupt.
The National Government in Tigray should make The Mekelle International Airport more functional. There should be direct flights to Mekelle from any major cities in the world. It is also a disadvantage to the economy of Tigray that only Ethiopian Airlines is flying to Mekelle. We should involve other airlines like Luththansa, British Airways, Emirates to fly to Mekelle (and Axum). Tigray State has many archeological and ancient historical sites. In fact Tigray is what Ethiopia used to be in the anceint times. It is miniature Ethiopia culturally and historically.
Making Mekelle International Airport operational is important for emergency flights to provide the people of Tigray with the necessary assistance when help is needed. If Ethiopia is going to digress to civil war, then the Mekelle International Airport will be very instrumental to save lives. Ethiopia has become a rogue state. The people of Tigray are discriminated and harrassed in Addis Ababa and other towns in Ethiopia. Tigrayans landing at Addis Ababa airport from foreign countries are finding it stressing to face anti-Tigray hostesses and other workers at the airport. The National Council and Government of Tigray should make it one of it's priorities to make Mekelle International Airport operational. Some international air carriers could be ready to start their services if Tigray Regional State could provide licences to fly over Tigray's skies.
We believe the people of Tigray should direct their energy to develop their economy. Tigray has never benefited from any economic developments in Ethiopia. The Amhara tribalists in fact have been blocking investments to Tigray. The electrification and industrisation of Tigray should have taken place some 20 years ago after TPLF-EPRDF overthrew the military regime. The current political situation in Ethiopia is labile and could develop into civil war. The Amhara tribal goup wants to contol the political power a la Menelik. Menelik tried to develop Addis ababa and surroundings. Menelik saw Tigray, Somali, Southe Ethiopia, Afar as enemies that have to be kept underdeveloped. Haile Selassie and The Military Regime after him had the same policy. The people of Tigray should resist any Amhara domination of Ethiopia.
Internationalising Tigray's economy is necessary and foreign government wanting to invest in Tigray should be supported. We should invite foreign investors to come to Tigray. One easy way to do this is to enable direct flights to Mekelle (and Axum) from all major international cities. A private air carrier could be established to carry out international flights to Mekelle. Tigrayans living abroad should not fly to Addis Ababa to reach Mekelle or other cities in Tigray.Tourists should be able to fly to Mekelle or Aksum directly from international major cities. Direct international flights to Mekelle should be possible.
Mekelle could have more hotels, restaurants and other leisure centres areas to make visitors have more enjoyable time. Mekelle has poor infratsturcture: roads are narrow, the hotel industry lacks the verybasic things one would expect to find, water and electricity supplies interrupt.
The National Government in Tigray should make The Mekelle International Airport more functional. There should be direct flights to Mekelle from any major cities in the world. It is also a disadvantage to the economy of Tigray that only Ethiopian Airlines is flying to Mekelle. We should involve other airlines like Luththansa, British Airways, Emirates to fly to Mekelle (and Axum). Tigray State has many archeological and ancient historical sites. In fact Tigray is what Ethiopia used to be in the anceint times. It is miniature Ethiopia culturally and historically.
Making Mekelle International Airport operational is important for emergency flights to provide the people of Tigray with the necessary assistance when help is needed. If Ethiopia is going to digress to civil war, then the Mekelle International Airport will be very instrumental to save lives. Ethiopia has become a rogue state. The people of Tigray are discriminated and harrassed in Addis Ababa and other towns in Ethiopia. Tigrayans landing at Addis Ababa airport from foreign countries are finding it stressing to face anti-Tigray hostesses and other workers at the airport. The National Council and Government of Tigray should make it one of it's priorities to make Mekelle International Airport operational. Some international air carriers could be ready to start their services if Tigray Regional State could provide licences to fly over Tigray's skies.
We believe the people of Tigray should direct their energy to develop their economy. Tigray has never benefited from any economic developments in Ethiopia. The Amhara tribalists in fact have been blocking investments to Tigray. The electrification and industrisation of Tigray should have taken place some 20 years ago after TPLF-EPRDF overthrew the military regime. The current political situation in Ethiopia is labile and could develop into civil war. The Amhara tribal goup wants to contol the political power a la Menelik. Menelik tried to develop Addis ababa and surroundings. Menelik saw Tigray, Somali, Southe Ethiopia, Afar as enemies that have to be kept underdeveloped. Haile Selassie and The Military Regime after him had the same policy. The people of Tigray should resist any Amhara domination of Ethiopia.
Internationalising Tigray's economy is necessary and foreign government wanting to invest in Tigray should be supported. We should invite foreign investors to come to Tigray. One easy way to do this is to enable direct flights to Mekelle (and Axum) from all major international cities. A private air carrier could be established to carry out international flights to Mekelle. Tigrayans living abroad should not fly to Addis Ababa to reach Mekelle or other cities in Tigray.Tourists should be able to fly to Mekelle or Aksum directly from international major cities. Direct international flights to Mekelle should be possible.
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