Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has joined his cabinet ministers and other senior government officials undergoing military drills at the Hurso Military Training Center.
Photos shared by him on social media show him taking part in military exercises alongside ministers, deputy ministers and heads of government institutions at the military training centre.
The move is unusual in Ethiopia, where senior civilian government officials are rarely seen undergoing military training.
He argued that military science and experience could help cultivate the “discipline, accountability, coordination, and sense of patriotism” expected of government leaders.
According to Abiy, the training is intended to equip senior officials with skills and experience that can be applied to implementing the government’s Medemer vision, including aligning strategic thinking, mobilising public participation, fulfilling commitments to citizens, and strengthening national security.
The prime minister said military training could also help leaders improve coordination across government structures, from the grassroots to the national level, while fostering a sense of responsibility for the country’s future.
“Soldiers have targets while civilians have goals. The objective of both is victory,” he said, adding that combining military and civilian disciplines would help create a generation capable of achieving both.
MG/as/APA