Prime Minister Abiy Extends Irrecha Festival Best Wishes

Addis Ababa, October 2, 2026 (ENA)—Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed extended his warm congratulations to the Oromo people and all Ethiopians on the occasion of the Irreecha thanksgiving festival.

He wished for a peaceful and prosperous celebration, marking the transition from the dark winter season to bright spring.

The Prime Minister described Irreecha as an emblem of Ethiopia's dawn of civilization and national renewal.

He urged all Ethiopians to embrace the core values of Irreecha, including peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, and brotherhood, to strengthen national unity and advance the nation's journey toward lasting prosperity.

Prime Minister Abiy noted that Ethiopia is transitioning into a bright era of national renewal and civilization, drawing a parallel between the traditional Oromo thanksgiving festival of Irreecha and the country's socio-economic transformation.

He emphasized that just as Irreecha marks the end of the dark winter season and welcomes the bright spring, Ethiopia is overcoming long-standing political and economic hurdles to enter a period of prosperity and strong national unity.

The Prime Minister reflected on Ethiopia's history, noting that despite its vast natural and human potential, the country remained bogged down in poverty due to governance challenges and a lack of systematic resource management.

However, he asserted that strategic economic and social reforms under the reform government are now actively converting historical natural and man-made challenges into major opportunities.

Prime Minister Abiy highlighted key national benchmarks, including the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and major economic projects, as concrete proof of the country's progress.

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to peace and national consensus, urging armed groups to turn toward peace and recalling the Oromo proverb that a house where one sleeps is better than where one spends the evening.

Concluding his message, Prime Minister Abiy called on the Oromo people and all Ethiopian nations, nationalities, and peoples to join hands in unity, forgiveness, and brotherhood to safeguard the nation's sovereignty and realize a prosperous Ethiopian civilization.