Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s second call to the Diaspora communities to up their contributions to the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) has helped to regain the lost momentum as contributions have doubled and continue to rise to reach close to two million USD yesterday.
It is to be recalled that on July 6, 2018, the Premier announced before the Ethiopian parliament his intention to establish EDTF to support local development efforts in the country. “We could establish a trust fund and open accounts in Ethiopia and/ or America. If each Diaspora could give us one USD from their daily macchiato expense, that means we can get one million dollars a day. That means we get 30 million dollars a month.
This money will not be part of the government budget. It will be administered through its own board.” Accordingly, the government has established an Advisory Council in order to promote, support and coordinate citizens abroad to engage in development efforts. However, the achievements of the fund have not yet met the targets set during the past six months.
Lately, the Premier said, “On the basis that there is around 3 million Ethiopian Diaspora, we asked for a dollar a day, but so far, only 2,800 have contributed (around 800,000 dollars in all).” Following his renewed call the Diaspora’s contributions have doubled to reach two million USD.
While the fund raised so far are short of the target, the Council also believes the Fund is most likely to be successful if contributors, beneficiaries and other stakeholders have a clear understanding of the Fund’s objectives and how it will be administered, managed, implemented and reported.
Elias Wondimu, board member of the Advisory Council tells The Ethiopian Herald that the council is now establishing a new board in the US. “We are also establishing another board in Ethiopia to jointly manage the fund with the government in pinpointing target development areas.” He also expresses his optimism that the Council will continue to mobilize the Diaspora and raise fund.
“It is subjective to say that the fund raising is successful or not by now,” he says adding, this is because the donors are still eager to know and identify the target areas. The Advisory Council noted the Ethiopian Diaspora has diverse views about how their contributions should be used to address development needs in the country.
Hence it aims to systematically seek and incorporate the diverse views of the Ethiopian Diaspora in identifying the range of development efforts to be supported by the Fund.
“We have organized various meetings in Atlanta, DC, Virginia, Maryland and Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, Berlin, and other countries too. We are actively engaged in the process,” he says. By taking past experiences, the Council is also trying to adopt the America Money Transfer to avoid delay, he said adding there is a possibility to raise a significant amount of fund as, he believes, the number of Ethiopian Diaspora is underestimated.
As to him while the Diaspora had no good relations with the Ethiopian government in the past, but now it is rebuilding its trust in the government since Prime Minister Abiy came to power. Ethiopian Diaspora Association Chairman Abraham Seyoum on his part says the Association has plans to discuss the importance of the fund with various Diaspora communities.
“So far, the Trust Fund and the association have no common ground to work together. But, we are willing to work together to solve execution problems in raising the fund,” he says.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 17/2019
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
