In the present situation, the world is struggling with multiple problems that challenge the entire population of the world to suffer from its economic, political and social interactions.
Such challenges have the ability to set things on fire and make life hard to the poor. As Ethiopia is one of the African countries that has gone through a number of challenges both internally and externally, such pressures have down pressed the country over all activities.
In order to find a way out, the country is calling its citizens to take a side in such hard times. Every Ethiopian from all walks of life has the potential to be responsible and find solutions for the obstacles that the nation is encountering.
It is true that Ethiopia is experiencing the hardest times in its longest history. Economic, social, and political questions have stretched the nations to its limits. The world witnessed that Ethiopians are eager to fight for their one and only country in any circumstances. Accordingly, nothing has stopped Ethiopian Diasporas to stand in solidary for the freedom of their country and be a part of the solution for the nation’s problems so far. Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of Ethiopia have used their maximum efforts to address the social, political, and economic challenges of the nation.
To act as united hands, there has to be a body that organizes those responsible citizens and organs to work together. Under the government of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency has been taking the responsibility to unite Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopians from all directions of the world to work for a common goal.
Ethiopian Diaspora Agency (EDA) Public Relations Director, Wondwosen Girma, recently disclosed the agency’s nine months report. The report mentioned multiple activities done by both the agency and Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of the country.
The director broadly stated that there are a number of actions that have been implemented by the Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of Ethiopia to stand at the time of the nation’s call. In maximizing social development participation, the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency has done activities with the diaspora communities around the world.
The report presented that the diaspora have participated in 876 different webinar and in person forums that raised national issues and the ability to strengthen social developments. In relation to the great Ethiopian Homecoming Challenges, there were many awareness creation events along with social movements.
Public Relations Director, Wondwossen said that Ethiopian Diasporas have been involved in development works and investments. The reports also supported the idea that members of the Diaspora have been willing to invest in trade, investment, and tourism sectors. EDA has been supporting those Diasporas who wish to invest in the country. As a result, 1489 Diasporas with a total capital of 97.6 billion Birr have shown their interest to invest on the counties untapped resources. In addition, there are 120 Diaspora community members who have 7 million USD savings to get involved in real estate business have received the land to start their projects.
It is observed that the nation is struggling with high foreign currency dearth. To be the part of the solution, the Diaspora community has been supporting the country to overcome the problem providing everything it has. The director also noted that the Diasporas’ contributions regarding foreign currency remittance and exchanges. As to him, the agency has gone far to work with every stakeholders and the Diaspora communities to encourage the Diasporas to contribute what they can offer to the nation. This contribution also includes sending foreign currency to the nation using legal ways.
The report disclosed that between June, 2013 and March, 2014, 5,965 Diaspora members have opened foreign currency accounts and saved around 5 million USD. In line with this, in order to increase the flow of foreign exchange, the Diaspora has been sending its money to the country using legal ways. Carrying out its responsibility, the agency has been following up and assessing the transaction activities. Based on the data from the National Bank of Ethiopia, up to the third quarter of the current fiscal year, the Diaspora community has legally sent 3.3 billion USD to the country.
In doing so, The Diaspora community has been putting its fingerprints in every activity of the country. As to the report, the Diaspora community has contributed its share in the building of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The Diaspora has purchased GERD bond worth 32,664,330.95 Birr. The community has also given gifts amounted 89,320,866.64 Birr. Likewise, 833,760 Birr is acquired from different incomes including extension of bond returning date by a year. Ethiopian Diasporas and Ethiopians born overseas have contributed a total of 122,818,957.59 Birr for the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As a result, the agency has achieved 82 percent of its objective, the report announced.
Moreover, the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency has been coordinating favorable conditions for Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of Ethiopia to take part in the process of rehabilitating internally displaced people and reconstructing the destroyed institutions in the war-torn regions, Amhara and Afar. Not only that, the agency has also been facilitating to rebuild infrastructures that are destroyed by the war TPLF escalated to the neighboring regions.
According to the agency’s report, the Ethiopian Diasporas have not stopped contributing their resources to the people they are from. In order to support those destroyed places and infrastructures, the agency has planned to collect 300 million Birr from Diaspora communities for the purpose of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the destroyed regions. Over 1.1 billion Birr has been collected both in cash and in kind.
The director has also mentioned that the Diaspora community has contributed to support the Ethiopian National Defense Force who has been giving their lives to defend their country. For the National Defense force and the March of Existence, the agency has collected over 109 million Birr that hit 65 percent of the agency’s goal. By using #eyezonethiopia platform, the agency has got over 6 million USD in the past months.
The agency has got 32.8 million Birr from working together with non-profitable organizations, Diaspora communities, skill based charity centers, and famous persons. Such action has provided voluntary deeds to the Diaspora communities, the director added.
Generally speaking, the Ethiopian Diaspora and friends of Ethiopia have contributed in advance in the past few years. Ethiopian Diasporas have been responding to the calls Ethiopia made. They have not made the country to go the road of challenges alone; rather they have shown their patriotic achievements to the world by standing in solidarity. The Ethiopian Diaspora Agency has also accomplished the objectives it stands for.
Forming various platforms, the agency has opened rooms for the Diaspora communities to be actors on the nation’s issues. In the past nine months, Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of Ethiopia have shown what they can do and contribute for their country. Such intuition of standing by the side of the country must be reflected in every Ethiopian citizen, it was underscored.
BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 14 JUNE 2022
