The prime minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Abiy Ahmed, in a news conference reported by the Africa News website has defended the blackout that the country has recently experienced. According to Mr. Ahmed, Internet in the country could be cut off forever, if that is what it would take to curtail deadly unrests incited by online communication tools.

The prime minister has been praised for the many reforms he has introduced, making the country one of the vibrant economies on the African continent. However, according to the report, many Ethiopians have been unhappy with the Internet shutdowns which have had negative impact on businesses and free speech. Mr. Ahmed's response to his critics during the 2 August news conference is that even though Ethiopia needs the Internet to accelerate its development, it is "neither water nor air."