Businesses in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa have refused to open as part of a tax-hike protest that has hit small business operators. The relatively peaceful and silent protest started in Oromia region which experienced some of the most violent anti-government protests last year. Ethiopia is currently under a state of emergency rule, which is in its ninth month (it was declared in October 2016). Reports also indicate that people in Addis Ababa are weighing their options of returning their business licenses or filing complaints with the tax authorities. The World Bank in a recent report report stated that Ethiopia’s economy will be the most expansive on the continent for the year 2017 followed by Tanzania, Ivory Coast and Senegal in that order.

Source: Ethiopian News July 21, 2017 07:18 UTC