Abiy Ahmed vs Filipe Nyusi

Abiy Ahmed was elected Prime Minister of Ethiopia by the ruling coalition, EPRDF. He succeeded Hailemariam Desalegn and immediately embarked on sweeping political reforms, including releasing political prisoners and opening up the political space.

Abiy signed a peace agreement with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, ending a 20-year border conflict. The deal led to the reopening of embassies, resumption of flights, and the awarding of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize to Abiy.

Abiy initiated economic liberalization, including partial privatization of state-owned enterprises like Ethio Telecom and Ethiopian Airlines. He also introduced a new investment law and sought to attract foreign capital, aiming to transform Ethiopia into a middle-income country.

Abiy ordered a military offensive against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) after a federal-state dispute. The Tigray War resulted in widespread atrocities, a humanitarian crisis, and the destabilization of northern Ethiopia, drawing international condemnation.

Facing military setbacks and international pressure, Abiy declared a unilateral ceasefire in Tigray. The ceasefire was initially rejected by the TPLF, but it eventually led to peace talks and the Pretoria Agreement in 2022, ending the two-year war.

Filipe Nyusi, candidate of FRELIMO, won the presidential election with 57% of the vote. He succeeded Armando Guebuza, marking the continuation of FRELIMO's rule since independence. The election was contested by the opposition RENAMO.

Nyusi oversaw the final investment decisions for major LNG projects in the Rovuma Basin, led by Total and ExxonMobil. These projects promised significant economic transformation for Mozambique but were delayed by Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado.

Nyusi signed a peace agreement with RENAMO leader Ossufo Momade, ending decades of sporadic civil conflict. The deal included disarmament of RENAMO's armed wing and political integration. It was brokered with international mediation.

Nyusi won a second term with 73% of the vote in an election marred by allegations of fraud and low turnout. Opposition parties rejected the results, leading to protests. The election deepened political polarization.

Under Nyusi's presidency, attacks by the Islamist group Ansar al-Sunna (later linked to ISIS) intensified, seizing the town of Moc

Nyusi authorized the deployment of Rwandan and SADC military forces to combat the Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado. The intervention recaptured Moc