58 Quotes by Meles Zenawi

The most stupid mistake a counter-insurgency operation can make is alienating the population. If you alienate the population, you're finished.

While all democratic systems are works in progress, ours started rather late and therefore has a longer distance to cover. But democratic transformation for us is not mimicking some facets of Western governance. The focus has been on building institutions of democratic governance.

It is illegal to be a member of an organization that is challenging the constitution by armed force.

Democracy cannot be a plaything for the capital cities. It has to infiltrate every nook and cranny in the country, including the village.

Imagine a government which has delivered double-digit growth rates for over seven years losing an election anywhere on earth. It is unheard of for such a phenomenon to happen.

Eritrea is hellbent on destabilising Ethiopia. It does not care who it sleeps with.

I cannot separate my achievements from what can be considered as the achievements of the ruling party.

I would love to be the African leader that steps down, that overthrows this idea of a Big Man ruler. I don't want to stay in office forever.

In the urban areas, we have focused on infrastructure roads, telecommunications, power.