BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU
Nations around the world have built their economies in multiple pillars as incomes of a nation could be generated from a number of ways. There are countries that get their major income from their natural resources; there are also nations that built their economies based on their human capital. Again, there are countries with better economic income from their diaspora citizens across the world.
In African context, most nations have the natural resources and the human capital that bring economic values to their countries. In this regard, one of the assets that any nation can acquire is the diaspora resource across the world. In good truth, diaspora communities from all walks of life have a bold contribution to the economic, political and social aspects of their respective nations. Similarly, Ethiopian Diaspora, foreigners of Ethiopian origin in the Diaspora, friends of Ethiopia, and Diaspora Communities around the world have been taking major actions in the overall activities of the nation. The Ethiopian Diaspora Community and friends of the country are involving themselves in economic, political, and social issues of their beloved nation.
The Diaspora communities across the globe have taken actions whenever the country and the people need their support. It is not long ago when the Ethiopian Diasporas have been the mouthpiece of the country when there were various external pressure on the internal affairs of the nation. Again, the community has not stopped supporting the nation financially.
Facilitating the overall activities of the Diaspora communities around the world, the Ethiopian Diaspora services (EDS) has been taking tangible actions regarding mobilizing and involving Ethiopian Diasporas from all walks of life to take part in the nation’s affairs. The Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of Ethiopia are still contributing their every penny to play the role of a catalyst in the nation’s development.
Bringing the contributions forward, Ethiopian Diaspora Services (EDS) Communication Director, Wondosen Girma told Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) about the activities that the diaspora community has been achieving. According to the Director, the members of Ethiopian Diasporas community are estimated to be over three million worldwide. Ethiopian Diasporas Communities around the world have been contributing highly in relation to the national economic growth that the nation has been registering. As a result, the Diaspora community has sent over 19 million USD to the homeland and been keen to sustain the support.
One of the preconditions for economic growth could be the level that a nation achieves in creating jobs for its citizens. As far as the Ethiopian Diaspora is concerned, 223 Diaspora investors with a registered budget of over 27 billion Birr have created jobs for 3000 Ethiopian citizens. “The Diaspora has contributed around 123,000 USD to the recently launched Dine for Generations tourism project. Over 2.3 million Birr was also sent for the drought affected people in Borena,” he said.
In addition to job creation, the Ethiopian Diaspora community has contributed 5.2 million USD in order to help reconstructing and rehabilitating war affected areas in the northern part of the country. Again, the community has delivered medical supplies worth 12.2 million USD to those war torn areas.
The Diaspora community has not stopped its contribution and support to the nation, rather the community further donated more than 35 million Birr to various charity organizations to show their support.
Likewise the country is under constructing mega projects that can be the foundation stones for the future economic and political strength of the nation. In the same way, the diaspora community has put its fingerprints on those mega projects like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) or Abbay Dam. The community has contributed over 815 thousand USD over the past nine months to speed up the construction. Therefore, the community has contributed supports worth a total of more than 3.8 billion USD.
As the Ethiopians all over the world have participated in various professions, the Ethiopian Diaspora Service has been working closely with prominent hydro scientists in the Diaspora to inform the international community about the dam that it will not cause any significant harm to the water share of lower riparian countries. “We formed close partnership with Ethiopian diplomatic missions to mobilize public support to Abbay Dam from bond sales and other fundraising schemes,” Wondwossen elucidated.
“The Diaspora’s involvement is not only limited to financing the Abbay Dam and they have made noteworthy engagement in the public diplomacy frontier and promoting Ethiopia’s right to prosperous among global forces. Again, We formed close partnership with Ethiopian diplomatic missions to mobilize public support to Abbay Dam from bond sales and other fundraising schemes,” he added.
Playing the vital role in promoting and strengthening nation’s diplomatic ties with the countries they are living, the director disclosed, “The Diasporas play a significant role to inform the international community about the reality on the ground in Ethiopia. The Diasporas’ roles are also undeniable through supporting the peace agreement and resolve the war in the northern part of Ethiopia.”
“The Diaspora also made 1.5 billion Birr worth of contributions both in cash and in-kind to the ongoing national projects and people in need of support. The community also raised over one billion Birr for construction and rehabilitation process over the last nine months,” the director mentioned.
The Ethiopian Diaspora Community has shown its strong backing to the nation in a number of aspects. Over the last eight months of the current fiscal year, Ethiopians living in abroad were capable of wiring money worth 3.8 billion USD. Moreover, based on the data from the National Bank of Ethiopia, more than 5,300 Diaspora accounts had been opened and 5.3 million USD was deposited over the last eight months of the current year.
Mentioning the Diaspora’s role in the field of diplomacy, the director stated that the diaspora has been actively engaged in the public diplomacy of the country with the objective of ensuring and protecting Ethiopia’s national interest. The community has shown its support for the process of the peace accord.
It is important to note the action and decisions taken by the Government of Ethiopia in relation to be standing with the Diaspora community. Also, the government has supported more than 1,000 Diaspora projects in different investment areas over the last nine months. Of which, 223 Diaspora investments are given special advantages for those who scored more than 27 billion Birr capital, and nearly about 3,000 jobs were created.
Wrapping up the idea, the Ethiopian Diaspora Community has become the strongest ally to the government and people of Ethiopia and to the overall political, economic, and social progresses of the nation. The Diaspora has been actively participating in every direction and contributing everything it owns to its beloved country. Such determination of standing with the interest of the nation has brought tangible outcomes. Equally, the Ethiopian Diaspora Services has been working fantastic in facilitating those diaspora communities to do more to their nation.
The Ethiopian Herald may 7/2023
