Ethiopian Prime Minister Desalegn on Wednesday said that Ethiopia, which has long been plagued by drought and famine, had managed to achieve food security.

"At a household level, we will continue efforts to attain self-sufficiency," he told a rally in capital Addis Ababa marking the 23rd anniversary of the overthrow of the communist Dergue regime. "We are proud to have erased the humiliating image which identified us with hunger and famine," the premier said. Desalegn said that his government – led by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, which overthrew the regime of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam 23 years ago – was leading the country towards "social justice, good governance and economic development."

He also hailed as a maturing democracy the country's multi-party system. However, he said, the country still had a long way to go. "Ethiopia has more than 90 legally established political parties. Some parties have chosen a violent path and formed an alliance with the Eritrean government," he said. "We will not allow them to destabilize our movement to prosperity and democracy," he added.

Tensions between Addis Ababa and Asmara have persisted since a bloody two-year border war – in which tens of thousands were killed – ended in 2000. Desalegn also promised that his government would do its best to ensure that upcoming national elections were free and fair.

NEWS SOURCE: http://www.worldbulletin.net/