BY ADDISALEM MULAT
Over the last reform periods, the government has been trying to mend the long strained relation with the diaspora community through deploying a diverse crew of well-educated and politically well versed diplomatic personnel.
The government has also been sticking to citizen-centered approach as part of the overall activities to engage the communities and elevate their participation in the affairs of their homeland.
At the helm of the efforts is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Ethiopian Diaspora Agency. The agency, though hard to reach every diasporas residing in every nook and cranny, has been working by the sweat of its brows in furtherance of creating conducive investment opportunities throughout the country despite complications.
The Agency is trying to brain gain and utilize the potential with a contribution that might benefit the country. Along the same lines, apart from fashioning an amalgamation between quite a few organizations constituted by the Ethiopian Diasporas and Ethiopian Nationals, the Agency has been synchronizing the exertions of Ethiopian diaspora and foreign nationals to play a part in education, health, public services, and other related aspects time and again.
While on the subject, the Diaspora Associations organizes the creation of numerous sorts of benevolent organizations in their nations and reinforce prevailing institutions bringing into play financial, professional, and material support.
According to data obtained from the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency website, Ethiopian citizens residing in their respective countries of residence have the right to access facilities from the government, just like every citizen. One of the main details for the Diaspora policy is the subject of privileges and benefits.
Similarly, it supports the diaspora in its social affairs in an organized and lawful manner from family affairs to its local social issues in the country they are living in. What is more, it carries out their human and civil rights in social and economic activities including conducting a series of awareness-raising activities.
Strictly speaking, as most Ethiopian Diasporas would like to invest in their homeland, they should be handled and treated nicely given that they take a role in the development endeavors of the country. If they fail to do so, the envisioned target cannot be attained as rapidly as possible.
Of late, in a discussion forum held in Adama town that brought together pertinent bodies residing in various parts of the country, wide ranges of ideas were raised.
In relation to the Diasporas’ involvement, one of the attendees in connection with the Ethiopian Diasporas residing in various parts of the world said, “Ethiopian Diasporas do need special attention. As they deserve special attention, appropriate bodies should be able to attach importance to the reality on the ground more than ever before in a short space of time. Above and beyond, they should be treated in a unique way.
In the same way, they should be treated with the whole lot required no matter what the cost may be. More to the point, they should be given priority more than anything else. Unless they are provided with the right information regarding the potential investment opportunities of the country, the wished-for target cannot be accomplished within a very short time.
Strictly speaking, unless conducive working environment is created Ethiopian Diasporas will simply come home and return to their respective countries. Thereafter, they embark on telling the whole lot they are not happy with.
Therefore, everybody should be able to get rid of all possible loopholes from the left, right, and center of the country.
Unless we provide the right information regarding what has been done or the potential investment opportunities across, our efforts will not bear fruit. All stakeholders should work hand-in-glove for the betterment of the country.
“I was always asking myself why the Diasporas communities get easily angry over a little thing. Once I left for Australia for further education, and I spent there for two days. When I returned home after two years, I set in motion getting angry easily given that the whole lot became new,” the participant wrapped up.
According to Selamawit Dawit, Director-General of the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency, the Diaspora community plays a major role in breathing new life into the country’s development and egalitarianism process. 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 other participant in the discussion said, I know a lot of things have been carried out in the length and breadth of the country regarding the involvement of Ethiopian Diasporas. While on the subject, establishing the agency by itself is a big achievement.
To the best of my knowledge, a wide spectrum of activities have been carried out in the length and breadth of the country for the most part after Prime Minister Abiy came to power.
Diasporas’ expectation is very high. They expect a big thing but when they come to Ethiopia, they encounter something that makes them change their minds.
Similarly, Diasporas are very sensitive; they do need their problem to be solved in the shortest possible time. Even though they are Ethiopians, they lead a different lifestyle which is entirely different from Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald January 5/2021
