Addis Ababa: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has extended his best wishes to all Muslims on the celebration of the 1446th Eid al-Fitr tomorrow. In his message in connection with the holiday, the premier described Eid al-Fitr as a festival of thanksgiving, charity, and brotherhood/sisterhood.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the PM explained that brotherhood/sisterhood is a friendship based on shared values, cooperation, and common goals. This friendship is based on morality, love, and mutual support; and it assumes shared responsibility. Abiy stressed that it is the most important, yet most forgotten value in the political life of the country.
The Premier also noted that fasting is useful to exercise self-control. He emphasized that all will benefit if the national dialogue embodies this value. “Just talking is not useful. Letting go of emotion; being calm; looking to the future and discussing is crucial. In this case, like Eid, the end of our dialogue will be gratitude,” he stated.
Writing about the other value of Eid, the Prime Minister pointed out that Eid al-Fitr is about charity. He highlighted the importance of doing good deeds for the needy and helping people irrespective of kinship, ethnicity, or faith. He underscored that the meaning of fasting is complete when charity is added to it.
For Abiy, charity is a very important value for continuing as a country and for building a nation. He finally called on all to celebrate Eid by reflecting on, developing, and using these values for nation-building.