Ethiopia will build a local rival with Facebook and other platforms

ADDIS ABABA, August 23 (Reuters) – Ethiopia has begun developing its own social media platform to compete with Facebook (FB.O), Twitter (TWTR.N) and WhatsApp, although it has no plans to block them. global services, state communications. said the security agency on Monday.

Ethiopia has been embroiled since last year in an armed conflict pitting the federal government against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls the Tigray region in the north of the country.

Supporters of both sides have waged a parallel war of words on social media.

The government wants its local platform to “replace” Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Zoom, the director general of the Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Shumete Gizaw,

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Shumete accused Facebook of deleting posts and user accounts that he said were “spreading the true reality of Ethiopia.”

International human rights groups have criticized the Ethiopian government for unexplained shutdowns on social media services, including Facebook and WhatsApp, over the past year. The government has not commented on these shutdowns.

Facebook spokeswoman for Africa Kezia Anim-Addo declined to comment on Ethiopia’s plans and did not immediately respond to a query about Shumete’s allegations.

Ethiopia, a country of about 115 million, has about 6 million Facebook users according to Statista.

But in June, days before the national election, Facebook said it had removed a network of fake accounts in Ethiopia aimed at home users linking people associated with INSA, which is responsible for monitoring telecommunications and the Internet. Read more

Twitter declined to comment. Zoom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shumete declined to specify a timeline, budget and other details, but told Reuters: “The reason for the development of locally capable technology is clear … Why do you think China uses WeChat?”

He said Ethiopia had local experience to develop the platforms and would not hire outsiders to help them.

The WeChat social messaging app is owned by China-based Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), is widely used in the country and is considered by the Chinese authorities as a strong tool to control its population.

Shumete also forwarded to Reuters comments he made on Friday to a local media outlet accusing Facebook of blocking users who “preached national unity and peace.”

He also told Al-Ain Amharic that authorities were working on the platform to replace Facebook and Twitter, while the trial of a platform to replace WhatsApp and Zoom has already been completed and that this platform will soon be operational.

Report by Dawit Endeshaw Written by Maggie Fick; Edited by Angus MacSwan

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