ADDIS ABABA– Ethiopia has registered better macroeconomic performance in the first half of the 2016 fiscal year put the country in the right position to achieve its 10-Year Development Plan, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Deputy Premier Temesgen Tiruneh made the above remark at the Council of Ministers’ evaluation of the first half performance of the macroeconomic and infrastructure sectors.
Speaking at the evaluation session, Temesegen stated that commendable jobs have been done in the two sectors that put Ethiopia in the right position to achieve its 10-year development plan.
He, however, pointed out that there are still wide gaps that will require the leadership’s commitment and coordination to realize the set goals. “In particular, it is necessary to resolve setbacks in service delivery, cost of living, and peace issues and work with determination to reduce poverty and ensure economic progress.”
To this end, leaders and professionals are expected to lead their institutions to the best of their ability and serve the country, the Deputy Premier remarked.
Planning and Development Minister Fitsum Assefa (PhD), who presented the macroeconomic, infrastructure, and social sectors’ performance of the first half of the current fiscal year, reminded that there is a plan to achieve 7.9 percent growth in the reported period.
The minister further highlighted that the performance in various sectors including agriculture in the reported period has shown promising results that the annual plan can be achieved.
“In terms of crop production, Ethiopia has managed to produce 496 million quintals in the first six months of the current fiscal year and the performance surpassed that of the past year same period by 16 million quintals.”
Similarly, commendable performance has been achieved in horticulture, animal and fish farming as well as other sectors of agriculture. In terms of irrigated wheat, it is planned to cultivate three million hectares of land in the first half of the current fiscal year and so far more than 2.9 million hectares have been covered with seeds.
Apart from agriculture, she mentioned the promising performance that has been witnessed in industry, service, and revenue collection in the reported period.
Chief of the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Affairs Minister Alemtsahai Paulus, Planning and Development Minister Fitsum Assefa (PhD), state ministers, heads of institutions, and chairpersons of the House of People’s Representatives Standing Committees were in attendance at the performance evaluation session, it was learned.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 9 MARCH 2024
