Ethiopia’s Economic Prosperity Vision-Strategy: Challenges of Old and New Recommendations

Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD September 14, 2021 To be economically prosperous, Ethiopia needs a formal vision-strategy document that reflects the consensus of the people. The dominant sectoral approach and policy thinking did not bring about the desired development effects and achieve the goals of economic growth and transformation. The lesson is that policy thinking of sectoral and macro approaches of plaining should start from identifying the environment, crafting of goals, (“what should be done), and choice of actions (“how to do it”). In other words, vision strategy must come first before policy framework and the vision should be homegrown formulated through…

Opinion & Analysis

Foreign Relations Exacerbates Ethiopian Domestic Conflict

By Metta-Alem Sinishaw Washington, DC President Trump’s “America First” agenda, vulgar mischaracterization of Africa as “shithole” countries, and disparaging comment against Nelson Mandela marked the low strategic priority the US attached to Africa. Diminishing US presence offered other powers an opportunity to expand influence. Distraught by the US-Iran deal, Gulf countries intensified partnership with the Horn to deprive Iran of proximity to Yemen.  When the US policy shifted from counterterrorism to great powers competition, new geopolitical reconfiguration has already transformed Horn countries. Ethiopia and Sudan saw regime changes and forged partnership with new actors. This paper attempts to review the…

Scholarly Articles

Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa
/

Regional Integration for Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa  

Dr. Daniel Kandie International Center, Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan March 22-24, 2019   Abstract: The Horn of Africa denotes the sub-region consisting of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia. Somalia has become for some time synonymous with poverty and conflict. The causes of the conflicts could be internal, or external. To date, several encouraging policy declarations have been made. However, the maintenance of peace in the sub-region has been delusional, illusory, and seeming. The major objective of this paper is to investigate the following question: Can cross-border economic cooperation serve to advance the cause of peace and development in the sub-region?…

Economy

Ethiopia Doubles Reserve Ratio to Rein In Surging Inflation

By  Fasika Tadesse Bloomberg/ August 31, 2021  Lenders to remit 50% foreign currency holdings to central bank  National Bank of Ethiopia tightening policy to curb inflation Ethiopia doubled the statutory reserve requirement for commercial lenders and increased the amount of foreign currency they must remit to the central bank, in an effort to rein in inflation. From Sept. 1, the reserve requirement will increase to 10%, according to Fikadu Digafe, the National Bank of Ethiopia’s vice governor in charge of monetary policy and its chief economist. Banks will also be required to transfer 50% of their foreign-exchange holdings to the…

Ethiopia’s Economy Needs Strategies and New Policy Design

Tsegaye Tegenu, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer, Department of Social and Economic Geography, Uppsala University Researcher, Department of Human Geography, Stockholm University Researcher, Institute for Futures Studies, Stockholm Evaluation Specialist, Performance Monitoring…

Politics

/

The Powers of Strong Diplomacy, Sustainable Growth and National Integrity

(By Dr. Bekele Gessesse) Agust 12, 2021 Preamble I am forced to write this small paper to show few of my on-going concerns. First of all, I am extremely disturbed by the news that a number of our Embassies are going to be closed down. If this is true, it will have many serious negative implications on our power to exert international influences in our favour. Secondly, the national economy is in a bad situation. Without internal peace and unity it will be hard to achieve sustainable economic development. More disturbing, however, is the fear of national disintegration. I just…

Human Rights

/

Ethiopia conflict is spreading beyond Tigray as a humanitarian crisis unfolds, UN chief warns

HUMANITARIAN crisis is unfolding in Ethiopia as conflict spreads beyond the Tigray region, the chief of the United Nations warned on Thursday. Secretary-general Antonio Guterres told the UN security council: “Inflammatory rhetoric and ethnic profiling are tearing apart the social fabric of the country. “All parties must immediately end hostilities without preconditions and seize that opportunity to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.” Mr Guterres said that more than two million people had been displaced from their homes and that millions more were in immediate need of life-saving humanitarian assistance, including food, water, shelter and healthcare. “The human price of this war…

History

/

The tragic prince of Abyssinya in Malta

First published on July 16, 2016 Republished August 5, 2021 Giovanni Bonello/Times and Malta A frail and melancholic seven-year-old boy was marched through the door of Malta’s leading photographer to have his portrait taken. He was the crown-prince of a defeated empire and a spoil of war, like the jewels from the State treasury or the captured artillery. Leandro Preziosi, the island’s first professional photographer, had earlier moved his studio from Floriana to secluded and shadowed Fredrick Street, No 28, in Valletta. On Saturday June 27, 1868, Preziosi must have welcomed his royal guest graciously – the Preziosis themselves had…

Art

Ethiopian Cotton, Handspinning and Handweaving Tradition Continues

The story of Ethiopian cotton is part of a greater cotton saga that covers the globe and reaches back into ancient times. A strong and vibrant cotton industry still exists in Ethiopia today on large and small farms, both private and government owned, including artisan coops that create beautiful, luxurious textiles from cotton raised and processed on small farms. Dynamic History Soft, fluffy, white cotton has been under production at lower elevations in rural areas of Ethiopia for millennia. The making of cotton cloth for traditional clothing has occupied both rural and urban artisans in a country that has long…

Health

/

Ethiopia’s Looming Covid-19 Third Wave Poses Serious Threat

Ministry warns citizens to take firm precaution ADDIS ABABA- Ministry of Health has announced that third wave of coronavirus has reached at alarming stage as new variants are rife much more than that of the previous one. Health minister Dr. LiaTadesse said that the virus is alarmingly spreading across the country. Some5547 cases were identified last week and 792 individuals have been found contracted the virus a day, he said. As to her, last Saturday’s is the highest record of the casesin the nation a day since the outbreak of the pandemic. This means again, more than a thousand has…

Sport

Ethiopian Barega Upsets Uganda’s Cheptegei to Win Shock 10,000-Meter Gold

By Reuters July 30, 2021 TOKYO – Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega sprinted the last lap to beat world record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda and win a shock Olympic gold medal in the men’s 10,000 meters on Friday. The 21-year-old Barega powered down the home straight to cross the line in 27 minutes 43.22 seconds, ahead of world champion Cheptegei in 27:43.63. Jacob Kiplimo, the youngest-ever Ugandan Olympian when he ran the 5,000 heats in Rio as a 15-year-old, posted a time of 27:43.88 to secure bronze in the first athletics medal event of the Games. Barega, the 2019 5,000-meter world championship…

Subscribe to Latest Blog Updates