In politics, words carry weight, especially when they come from those tasked with leading the government and insuring rule of law. That’s why a single remark by Tigray’s Interim Administration President, General Tadesse Werede, has set off alarm bells among those who fear Tigray’s post-war recovery is sliding into the hands of the very networks that profited from chaos.
On Saturday during a meeting with a task force charged with cracking down on illicit gold mining, President Tadesse made a startling admission and an even more startling suggestion.
“Yes, the majority of illegal mining is done by Tigrayans,” he said. “If the money you get from illegal mining is invested in Tigray, it is better.”
For a region struggling to claw its way out of the ruins of war, those words may prove far more damaging than any amount of gold smuggled out in the dead of night.
A flourishing illicit gold economy
Since the outbreak of war in late 2020, Tigray’s formal economy has been devastated. Blockades, infrastructure destruction, Institutions breakdown and the collapse on the law enforcement agencies have crippled trade and legitimate business activities.
In this economic void exacerbated by the near-total absence of investments and a gutted formal economy sector, gold has emerged as Tigray’s most lucrative and most heavily exploited natural resource.
This is not a simple story of local miners eking out a living. The scale and sophistication of operations have increased dramatically. Gold mining now involves industrial scale extraction and processing, often using toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide that have poisoned rivers and farmlands.
According to a recent study conducted by Mekelle University to extract just one tonne of gold, miners must excavate roughly 140 hectares of land. This massive disruption has accelerated desertification, with vegetation cover in Tigray plummeting from 13.51% to 10.5% in the past two years, a decline driven primarily by illegal mining activities.
The financial impact is equally staggering. The task force established in December last year to tackle the illicit gold mining said Tigray was expected to receive over 7 billion birr in royalties from gold mining this year, only 24 million birr has been earned so far, reflecting severe revenue losses due to rampant illegal mining and trafficking.
Behind this environmental destruction and economic hemorrhage lie a well-organized illegal mining networks deeply entwined with Tigray’s political, military and economic elite.
Multiple reports allege that key figures within the interim administration and armed forces control mining concessions, offer protection to illegal operators, and facilitate smuggling routes that bypass official oversight.
These networks have exploited the chaos wrought by war and Tigray’s fragile governance structures to enrich themselves, often at the direct expense of local communities. The contamination of water sources and the destruction of farmland have devastated traditional livelihoods, while the illicit profits continue to flow into the hands of a privileged few.
It is against this backdrop that General Tadesse Werede’s comment that if the proceeds of illegal mining are invested locally, then it is fine must be understood. Far from being a pragmatic nod to economic realities, it risks signalling a dangerous tolerance, even acceptance of the illicit economy flourishing under his administration’s watch.
A tacit green light to corruption and impunity
General Tadesse Werede’s remark that it is acceptable to invest money derived from illegal mining within Tigray sends a chilling message to anyone hoping for justice and genuine reform in the region. Rather than confronting the illicit gold economy head-on, his words offer what amounts to a tacit endorsement of criminality, wrapped in the language of economic pragmatism.
This kind of reasoning is not new in fragile, post-conflict settings. Around the world, authorities have repeatedly fallen into the trap of legitimizing war-era “shadow economies” in the name of “investment” or “stability.” Yet time and again, these short-sighted compromises have only entrenched corruption, distorted local economies, and perpetuated cycles of violence and mistrust.
By implying that the source of wealth can be ignored as long as the proceeds circulate locally, General Tadesse’s statement sends a clear signal to powerful actors embedded in these illicit networks that accountability is negotiable, enforcement is flexible, and political protection is guaranteed.
Such signals undermine the very foundations of governance in Tigray at a critical juncture. They blur the line between legal and illegal economic activity, weakening the rule of law and eroding public trust in institutions already battered by years of war and political instability.
Furthermore, this approach rewards those who have capitalized Tigray’s chaos, military figures and civil administrators alike many of whom are alleged to have direct involvement in mining concessions, protection rackets, and smuggling operations. Instead of dismantling these networks, the administration risks cementing their influence and enabling the continued plundering of Tigray’s natural wealth.
The urgent need for uncompromising accountability
Tigray stands at a crossroads. The promise of rebuilding after years of devastating conflict cannot coexist with a tacit acceptance of illicit economies flourishing under the protection of those meant to lead. General Tadesse Werede’s offhand remark, far from a mere slip, reveals a deeper reluctance to confront the entrenched corruption that threatens to derail recovery and justice.
Accountability cannot be conditional. It cannot hinge on whether the proceeds of illegal activities are “invested” locally or sent abroad. To tolerate illicit mining even under the guise of economic pragmatism, is to undermine the rule of law and to send a message that some are above scrutiny.
For governance to take root in Tigray, leaders must dismantle the networks that fuel illegal mining, regardless of their political or military background or connections. This requires transparent investigations, prosecutions, and reforms that place public interest above private gain.
The stakes are immense. Without decisive action, Tigray risks entrenching a war economy that perpetuates environmental destruction, economic inequality, and political instability. Worse, it risks alienating the very communities whose trust and support are essential for lasting peace.
The road to recovery demands leadership that refuses shortcuts, that prioritizes justice over expediency, and that rejects the dangerous notion that crime can be justified by where the money flows. Anything less is a betrayal of the people and future of Tigray.