Ethiopia's new leader faces a critical decision on whether to open up parts of the nation's booming economy after making moves to reduce the stake of the military, former prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn said. Premier Abiy Ahmed inherited what the IMF ranks as Africa's fastest-growing economy when he took office early last month. But he also confronts the biggest challenges to the ruling coalition's power in more than two decades as sporadic unrest against its authoritarian rule and intercommunal violence threaten the federal structure of Ethiopia, a US ally in its battle against Islamist militants in the Horn of Africa. Hailemariam said that last year he introduced a proposal to the ruling coalition's 36-member politburo that all but the financial sector of the economy, including the state telecommunications monopoly Ethio Telecom, be partially liberalised. While the debate continues, Hailemariam said he had laid the foundations for partial liberalisation. "I am sure Abiy is goi...
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