Soldiers in business: the pitfalls of METEC’s projects in the context of Ethiopia’s civil–military relations

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article critically chronicles the ascendancy and apparent decline of a business conglomerate, Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC), in post-1991 Ethiopia. Informed by ‘developmental state’ ideology, the political elites managed to create METEC, entrusting it to the military for their use in leading the industrialisation of the country. With a sober analysis of the conglomerate’s engagement in mega-projects in the context of civil–military relations, this article shows that the ‘developmental role’ of METEC has been characterised by extreme delays in projects, with symptoms of financial embezzlement which have led the party-state to reconsider the military’s role in the economy. The article relies primarily on documents, informal discussions and media content analysis.