BY ADDISALEM MULAT
Nobody denies the fact that Ethiopian Diasporas play a major role in the whole range of development activities surfacing all regions of the country on numerous occasions. Without any exaggeration, they leave no stone unturned to catapult the nation to whole new achievements at the earliest possible time.
Almost always, the Ethiopian Diasporas residing in various parts of the world are at the ready whenever their motherland needs them. It is no secret that Ethiopian Diasporas have been working in collaboration with the government of Ethiopia targeting at injecting new blood into the economy of the country. Nothing makes them happier than assuming a role in the development efforts of the country every once in a while.
At this particular moment, the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency has been playing a major role in addressing the interests and Diasporas’ contribution needs. They have been moving heaven and earth with the purpose of supporting their homeland in a wide spectrum of development activities such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Gebeta Lehager, and other related aspects.
As the role of Ethiopian Diasporas in nation-building is unquestionable, they have been doing their utmost to take the country to the next chapter of achievement after a short time. In times gone, Ethiopian Diasporas were not that interested to play a part in various development undertakings of the country seeing that everything going on all over the country was not that easy.
In what could be said a novel turn, the contribution of Ethiopian Diasporas to the growth of the nation has upped over the years. These segments of the communities, who are geographically alienated but mentally attached, have been transforming themselves from street protests to reform backers.
Their contribution ranges from economy to diplomacy. They have already become Ethiopian ambassadors and guardians of Ethiopian interests abroad. Sending remittance and giving the right picture of the country to the international community have been some of the few benefits these Diasporas bring up to their homeland.
The changes in which the country enjoyed these days have been the result of the strong leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. His desires to create a strong bond with the Diasporas communities have paid off as the latter’s engagements widened in many frontiers. However, mobilizing this huge potential still requires more work both from the government and the diaspora sides.
Creating networks and forming alliances is the first rung to unleash the immense potentials particularly Ethiopian missions abroad have the responsibilities of mobilizing and coordinating the Diasporas communities through different platforms.
Nowadays, Ethiopia puts the accent on Ethiopian Diasporas residing in every nook and cranny of the world bearing in mind that they play a major role in taking the country to the next level of triumph.
This was not the case in the past. No matter what happened, Ethiopians Diasporas were not that interested to involve themselves in their motherland’s affairs.
Worse even, most of them were persistently turning a deaf ear and a blind eye. On a day to day basis, the Diasporas were not at the rendezvous to support their motherland except making fun of the TPLF junta officials.
Of late, The Ethiopian Herald had a short stay with one of the Ethiopian Diasporas residing in Calgary, Canada. At the moment, he is volunteering at Calgary immigrant services as a translator, and newcomers supporting staff.
He said regarding the issue, “Franking speaking, back in the day, an Ethiopian was not feeling itself following the TPLF junta officials’ evil deeds. They were time and again backing the country into a corner and turning the lives of the general public into a living hell. At that specific juncture, there was no freedom of speech in the left, right and center of the country,”
As the general public was under the yoke of poverty and oppression, they were crying their eyes out and coming up with a wide spectrum of techniques intending to get rid of the regime once and for all from the face of the country.
In the same way, as the situation of the country was heartrending and moving into uncharted waters time and time again, everybody was in a desperate mood. As the seeds of hatred were sown amid the various Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples of Ethiopia, there was little love lost among them.
Nothing makes them happier than breaking the strong bond of Ethiopians making use of fabricated stories. They were allergic to the truth.
However, after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power, the whole lot embarked on getting on track in the shortest possible time. As he knows the secret of effective leadership, he managed to win the hearts and minds of all Ethiopians at the drop of a hat.
Even though the TPLF junta officials were persistently making an effort to pour cold water on the efforts of the government by stoking unrest in various parts of the country, they failed to reap the fruit of accomplishment and turn their big dream into a reality.
“When I heard the attack carried out on the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, I could not believe my ears. I got furious and did not know what I had to do. If truth be told, all Ethiopians residing all over the country could not control their anger.” he wrapped up.
The Office of the Prime Minister page regarding the aforementioned issue said, “In the early morning of 4 November 2020, in an unprovoked act of aggression, the criminal TPLF clique attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces that has been stationed in Tigray since the end of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2000.
The surprise attack was a premeditated and treasonous act in which the TPLF clique ordered ethnic Tigrayans members of the Northern Command, but whose loyalties lay with the TPLF and its murderous mission, to open fire on their comrades from within, causing unimaginable human suffering, demonstrating extreme cruelty, and showing unprecedented betrayal.
Ethiopia has been making several signs of progress in mobilizing Diasporas residing in various parts of the world and creating a conducive environment for their involvement in Ethiopia’s development.
In the recent past, The Ethiopian Herald had a short stay with Selamawit Dawit, Director General of the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency. She said regarding the Ethiopian Diasporas residing in the left, right, and center of the world and their contribution, “The Diaspora community plays a major role in breathing new life into the country’s development and egalitarianism process without a shred of a doubt.
“As Ethiopian Diaspora is known to live across the world with different capacities that can make a huge impact at home, the agency is doing its level best to harness this potential. To that end, different mechanisms have been devised to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, skill, and technology from the diaspora.
Besides, attracting diaspora investment and ensuring their participation in Grand National projects are some of the fundamental reasons that necessitated the existence of the agency.”
The Ethiopian Herald December 29/2020
