BY ADDISALEM MULAT
Nowadays the involvement of Ethiopian Diasporas in the development endeavors of the country is increasing now and then. They leave no stone unturned to stand by the side of their motherland and pull their country out of the yoke of poverty no matter how long it takes.
As most of the highly educated Ethiopian Diasporas live in most parts of the world, they have been supporting their motherland in everything their country needs them. They do not shillyshally support their country to get back on track. If truth be told, for Ethiopian Diasporas, their motherland is irreplaceable and incomparable with anything under the sun. They give priority to their country and its people over and over again.
In the same way, every so often the Ethiopian Diasporas strive for fast-tracking the development activities of the country to get rid of poverty from every corner of the country. To this point, they have been getting themselves engaged in a wide spectrum of investment activities and other professions to lift their country.
As the government of Ethiopia managed to formally acknowledge the significance of Ethiopian Diasporas and their valuable contribution to the national growth, they have been playing a major role in imparting the benefits of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam to the entire riparian countries and persuading citizens residing in the length and breadth of the world.
Though Ethiopian Diasporas can make a mammoth difference in developing the country, they have not been effectively mobilized, networked, and engaged across the different ministries and government levels as they should be. Therefore, pertinent bodies should work hand-in-glove for the realization of good governance and breaking bureaucratic logjams that pour cold water on the efforts of the government.
It has been extensively emphasized that devoid of good governance the country cannot reduce poverty and addresses the multi-faceted social as well as economic difficulties of the country. More to the point, principles of the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and other related aspects have to be put in place to turn a vision into reality.
If the government of Ethiopia would like to harness the Ethiopian Diasporas’ knowledge, experience, skills, and financial resources to grow the economic growth of the country, it should attach significance to the public institutions as well as the employees.
The Ethiopian Diasporas have been sending money in legal means intending to increase the hard currency of the country From time to time.
In an exclusive interview, Selamawit Dawit, Director General of the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency gave in the recent past to The Ethiopian Herald said, “We have been trying to raise awareness among the Diaspora community concerning various benefits they secure out of sending money home employing formal channels. We are also working with the National Bank of Ethiopia to facilitate ways in which the diaspora can easily remit hard currency to the economy and play an active role in the financial sector.
It is no doubt that when they send money using the formal system, they help the country as well as their families without a doubt. Nowadays, they have been sticking to the formal channels and standing by their motherland’s side.
She stressed that as the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia has been trying to open up a wide array of channels in the neighboring countries, the intended target is preponderantly being achieved. For instance, the number of Diasporas who would like to put hard currency in their account is increasing.
According to Tesfaye Dame, Ethiopia Diaspora Agency Plan and Budget Preparations, Monitoring and Evaluation department Head the Ethiopian Diasporas Agency managed to scale up formal remittance to the country and thus almost in two years’ time the diasporas was able to send 4.44 billion dollars. Aside from depositing 21,096,887.60 dollars, 14,107 Diasporas were able to open a hard currency account.
The conditions in all aspects in the country have to be made conducive to attract more diaspora members in particular and a number of investors in general. The bureaucratic red tape that has baffled many Diasporas so far has to be broken and every process needs to be smoothly flown. To do all this, the government has to come to the forefront as it is responsible than anyone else.
The Ethiopian herald December 13/2020
