Bandes de jeunes à Mekelle (Tigré – Éthiopie) entre la rhétorique du développement, le microcrédit et la recherche du consensus

In Mekelle, Ethiopia, youth gangs, typically seen as a transient generational problem, have unexpectedly become a focal point for political authorities. This ethnographic study, conducted before Covid-19 and the recent civil war, used qualitative interviews with over thirty informants, including gang members, former members and institutional figures such as judges, police officers and administrators. In the Tigray region, where Mekelle is situated, the dominant regional party (TPLF) has long strategically targeted gangs for social rehabilitation programmes. This model, which mixes collectivism and a neoliberal approach to development, aims to align the young people involved with the ideology of the ruling party, while limiting their social mobility. The case study sheds light on the local interplay between gangs, development policies and their calculated use to shape political consensus.