Originally Posted by
PWMTrav
I hope you're still in this thread and wouldn't mind answering a couple of questions -
What's the general sentiment on Italians in Ethiopia and Eritrea (if you know much about the latter)? If one visits, would it be advisable either way to enter on a US or an Italian passport? Do the residents themselves care much? I imagine both could still have hard feelings against Italians, but anything worth worrying about if traveling?
No Ethiopian (or Eritrean) I know has ever exhibited any kind of meaningful anti-Italian sentiment. To this day, despite the brevity of the occupation, we remain fond of pasta, are utterly addicted to cafe macchiato, and say
ciao to one another (which admittedly irks me a little!). After the war, Haile Selassie even allowed the Italian migrants to Ethiopia to stay in the country, and many did, although most left after the Derg took power. Although they've recently been overshadowed by the Chinese, Italians do a considerable amount of business in Ethiopia; the dam on the Nile is being built by an Italian firm.
There is virtually no chance you will run into any problems as an Italian travelling in Ethiopia, unless you happen to meet a particularly grouchy veteran
arbegna (partisan) from the war.
In Eritrea, probably even less so.