A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people, so writers would say. This is particularly true to Ethiopians. As has been said time and again, it is very hard to detach Ethiopian from their beloved country.
Owing to this reality, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has written last Sunday an open letter to the Ethiopian youth and children in the Diaspora. In his letter, he urged Ethiopians living abroad to pay a visit to their beloved country during their respective summer breaks and to take part in the new experiences the country is witnessing.
He beseeched them to be part of the on-going development process taking place in every corner and direction of the country; to share their knowledge and expertise to their fellow people; and to enjoy various tourism attractions and destinations that are dubbed in “the land of origins”, Ethiopia.
Referring to our national needs as plenty and our opportunities to fill the gaps even greater, the Premier called upon Ethiopians in the Diaspora to be active actors who make real contributions in a broader sense to the development of the local economy.
Beyond the inflowing remittance, Diasporas’ engagement in countries of origin is immense and wide ranging, as best practices of other countries indicate. From expanding investment and improving access to capital to transferring knowledge and technology; from importing new ideas and sharing experiences to real job creation; from alleviating emergency disasters to sustaining philanthropy, Diasporas’ contribution in development and poverty reduction is inimitable.
Countries that have experienced large out-migrations have reaped substantial economic benefits from the direct engagement of their Diaspora communities: in terms of increasing financial flows, technology transfer and advancing their economies.
Consequently, these days, leaders and policy makers have started to value the full range of contributions that a Diaspora population can make in national development. To capitalize on the contributions, hence, they are promoting Diaspora’s engagement as an integral component of their development programs.
Ethiopia is estimated to have over three million people in the Diaspora, most of which are youth and children. Likewise it is estimated that those Ethiopians, being raised in developed countries, have high standard education and other better opportunities for personal and professional growth.Sharing those knowledge, expertise as well as resources unquestionably would change the lives of many of the young people at home.
Therefore, Premier’s welcoming call is timely. Apart from enabling the Ethiopians living abroad play crucial role to addressing the pressing issues of their home country, it also gives them a new chance to understand their country and people, to develop a sense of Ethiopianism, and to build confidence and preserve ties with their homeland.
The call also makes them ambassadors of their country. No matter how happy they are now, Ethiopia is their ideal homeland. It is a place to which they and their young ones one day yearn to see it and would return in the long run.
So, we call upon our fellow Ethiopians living abroad to heed for the call of our Premier. We are also confident that your responses to the call and your offerings – time, energy, expertise and resources – would further strengthen your ties with your motherland and make you walk upright with more dignity and pride. That’s why we say the price of belongingness is far from any legacy; and that Ethiopia is firmly living in your hearts and in your soul!
The Ethiopian Herald, May 29/2019
BY HAILE DEMEKE
