Recently, the premier had told parliamentarians that Ethiopia is planning short term measures to reduce unemployment in the country and rise to the increasing job demands of citizens.
One of these short term programs is sending skilled laborers to foreign countries. As per the deal 50,000 workers would be sent to UAE in 2019/2020 fiscal year. And also discussions are underway to send additional 200,000 workers in the span of the coming three years.
The workers would receive trainings in various sectors including driving and nursing to boost their capacity and earn higher wages.
Other deliberations too are underway with Japan and European Union to have similar agreements.
So, does the incumbents’ push to create job opportunities outside the country help to overcome the higher unemployment problem in the nation?
As to Fasil Tasew, Micro Economics and Public Finance Lecturer at Unity University, in this world shrinking into a global village, the market system permits the free movement of people to generate income. Pertaining to this, Ethiopian activity is a good beginning.
These formal agreements with countries have opportunities to the workers and can help them manage their income legally, he added.
The aforementioned number may not be enough seen in light of the country’s unemployment figure. Facilitating things for unemployed Ethiopians to go abroad for jobs could logically create better employment opportunities, he said.
He added sending laborers abroad may not effect a long-lasting solution for the country. So, the nation should contemplate creating better solution hinterland. It is better to come up with youths who are engaged in economic sector.
“We have embarked on African Renaissance. The Ethiopian PM’s efforts regarding economic integration with countries especially with Arabian countries are substantial”. Adding Fasil said, it is worthy to strengthen this kind of relationships with these countries. But focusing on beefing up muscles here need be given due attention.
Bekele Tigistu Deputy General Director within Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency seconds the idea of creating better job opportunities here. Small and Medium Enterprises’ advantage for this unemployment problem is high for not only developing countries but also for developed ones.
As to him about 1.6 million job opportunities had been created during the past fiscal year in this sector. As such, many have changed their fate from rags to riches. There is a plan to create more than 1.5 million job opportunities starting the coming fiscal year.
Bekele stated, increasing job opportunities inside the country has a big role in reducing unemployment and it needs more focus. Also the people need to upturn perceptions on job culture.
Dereje Taye PR and Communication Director within Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said on his part, years back citizens were very vulnerable while going outside the country for jobs. But after the amendment of proclamation, people go only to countries which have already signed bilateral agreement with Ethiopia. The agreement includes seeing to the rights of employees and protecting them—it is not personal but the countries’ issue.
The government has given emphasis on overcoming unemployment problem in the nation. Therefore, in addition to the agreement reached and made public, the country has already signed agreements with Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates for domestic work. And there are also other countries the nation is dealing with to strike agreements, he stated.
The Director added, there are more than 15 thousand citizens who have taken trainings to go these countries. Some had already taken leave.
He stated, these job opportunities have positive impact for the nation and citizens through generating foreign currency and cementing the countries’ relationships. There is hope for the future to reduce more unemployment problems.
The Ethiopian Herald August 04/2019
BY GENET FEKADE
