BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
For over two decades, Ethiopia’s foreign policy has been centered on economic diplomacy, at the core of which is attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Diplomats have been tasked to promote investment opportunities, incentives, laws, rules, and regulations and recruit investors in the priority sectors identified by the Government like tourism. Therefore, as part of its annual plan, each diplomatic Mission takes the assignment of recruiting a specific number of investors, based on which the annual performance of the Mission and the individual diplomats is evaluated.
Ethiopia’s remarkable economic growth has partly been attributed to the economic-centered foreign policy and diplomacy that the country has fittingly designed and aggressively implemented. While the foreign policy has, for decades, been directed towards attracting FDI as a key priority, the coming into power of Prime Minister Abiy has enabled a new chapter where the legal and institutional framework, as well as administrative procedures pertaining to investment in general and FDI in particular, have been significantly reformed towards a more liberal, early and favorable system.
With the Government’s introduction of the Home-Grown Economic Reform, the primary focus of the Foreign Policy has been promoting and implementing this reform. While implementing the reform requires more aggressive diplomacy, the reform has eased the diplomatic work by introducing inherently attractive and liberal initiatives.
As a clairvoyant leader adhered to sensuous beauty, environment stewardship the administration of Abiy Ahmed has shown changing devil to its originality. This cannot be denied as one can see shabby places and slums in the down town and amid light.
The initiative to make Ethiopia the hub of tourism and diversified botanic garden of tourism and investment will continue to bloom if nations walk hand in hand.
The government of Ethiopia has clearly spotted that the economic diplomacy formulation and implementation of sound policy and strategy to step up tourism and consolidate robust economic diplomacy among strategic partners.
The Director General of the Tourism Training Institute, Dr. Desalegn Ambaw at a policy discussion forum held in Semera recently said that the development of the tourism sector should focus on increasing numbers of foreign visitors and passerby to solve the foreign exchange shortage that the country is facing.
Commonly called the “smokeless industry” the tourism industry is an alternative economic base for many countries the Director General said. Ethiopia’s potential in terms of tourism resources is untapped for various reasons; he said it could not use it as it should have been.
“Our man-made and natural resources as a country are diverse and magnificent that the world mesmerized at. It will withstand a great deal of adverse conditions. By generating foreign exchange and ensuring the growth of national production it can be the basis of the economy.” He added: “This is a dream come true as there are other things that need to be done primarily clear sector policy formulation and related enforcement strategies or those strategies play the lion’s share.”
So as to step up the country’s tourism sector, all stakeholders are needed to make the appropriate contribution noting that it requires coordination.
Relevant design and implementation of policies and strategies, reassuring peace and security, modernize infrastructure and services and convenience situation for visitors is primarily expected of the government, he said.
The private sector also plays a significant role in this regard. In addition, researches are conducted in the field of tourism diplomacy and other related issues that could boost the tourism sector. There is also of great importance to involve personal figures along with the formulation and mere ratification of policy and strategy.
In the discussion organized by the Institute of Foreign Relations Forum on the Economic Diplomacy for the Development of the Tourism Sector’s Role and Strategy of Ethiopian Tourism Diplomacy a study focusing on directions, implementation and challenges. Articles were presented and discussed by experts in the field.
In the forum, officials of Federal and state governments, University Teachers and Researchers, Tourism Sector experts and other invited guests were detected.
The International Community has wasted several opportunities that could have been effectively seized to change course in Ethiopia. Now there is a risk that the recently declared indefinite humanitarian truce and the national dialogue initiatives may face a similar fate.
If so, the future will be worse than the past. Maximum caution is required. There is a need to leave emotions and the arrogance aside and constructively engage to make sure that these promising initiatives are not wasted once again.
For those trained in the hotel and tourism sector, the lack of opportunities for professionals is what the country gets from the sector incurring foreign currency by hiring foreign experts.
According to explanation of Deputy Director General of Tourism Training Institute and Hotel Management Researcher and consultant Yitaseb Seyoum, Ethiopia has decorated professionals with ample experience of managing star rated hotels. However, the sector is frequently awarded to foreigners who forced the country to lose foreign currencies in greater amount. He also commented that it was appropriate if Ethiopia pays special attention to the tourism sector.
Hence, it is highly advisable to leave the sector’s steer for domestic professionals and trained fellow citizens in order to reach the helm of success.
To happen this, the government of Ethiopia has formulated curriculum and train academicians in the tourism sector in 15 state Universities.
According to the expert, most large Hotels with international fame denying opportunities to local professionals and frequently obsessed in hiring foreign citizens though there are plenty of trained men power in Ethiopia. For example, five out of five foreign experts earn hundred folds of domestic workers at no compression of competence.
He recalled that the institute conducted a study three years ago. According to the finding of the study, the number of professionals trained in hotel and tourism institutions did not exceed 26 percent. As a result, most of the work has been run by people who are not trained in the field and who are not involved in the field, he explained. If the quality of service is to be improved by the trained human resource, experts in the sector should be called for leadership and the tourism sector could focus on the country’s economic growth. Doing so, he pointed out that the sector can make a big contribution. According to the Deputy Director General, domestic and foreign colleges and Universities are working to produce professionals of the tourism sector.
He further said that the institute is paying special attention to the issue and will continue to do so in the future. While explaining the issue, expert on the state of Ethiopia’s tourism sector said that the country has potential in the tourism sector. He also emphasized the importance of coordination.
To promote the country’s potential and better effective promotional techniques and to achieve sounding results, concerned parties need to work together.
He also explained that doing so is a matter of time. He added that so far, most of the work caused wasting of time and money because they used to work separately.
Tourism is among the economic and social sectors that are registering rapid growth in the world, and nowadays, it has been found to be making its contribution in supporting and accelerating national development.
Tourism makes a tremendous contribution serving as a source of foreign exchange, promoting micro and small-scale enterprises, creating employment opportunities, and ensuring sustainable development.
Because of the absence of a clear policy for long that would lay the direction for the cooperation and coordination that should exist among the government, the private sector, the community at tourist attraction sites, the general public and other stakeholders; it has not been possible for the
country to derive full benefits from the sector and development has remained uncoordinated and unsustainable.
The government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, therefore, realizing the problems of the sector and giving special attention to the matter, and recognizing the necessity of creating a strong government organ to lead the sector, has established the Ministry of Culture and Tourism under Proclamation Number 471/2005, now Ministry of Tourism, enacted to redefine the powers and duties of the organs of the Federal Government.
In order to consolidate the fragmented activities and ensure coordination of efforts being made by government, the private sector, communities at the tourism destinations and civic organizations, and to create conducive environment for these entities to be able to discharge their respective responsibilities appropriately, it has become necessary to issue such an enabling policy and strategy.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 12 JULY 2022
