
There are plenty of opportunities for Ethiopian intellectuals in different fields. The country with its rich history and diverse cultural heritage presents immense prospects for intellectuals across different fields. It is endowed with huge resources that are not yet fully exploited for its development. Its people have been blocked by alien forces from exploiting these resources. They have been suffering from poverty due to internecine that is destructive to all sides.
Ethiopians have suffered enough from the conflict and trauma of more strife. They suffered because of their rich endowments which attracted foreign exploitative forces. These forces have the intention of controlling and taking advantage of the resources by artful and insidious means. They designed any strategy for their political and material gains. They have been creating social conflicts among Ethiopians to weaken them. They also introduced an outdated and misinformed policy of destabilizing the country using ethnic, religious and other vulnerabilities.
Foreign driven divisive policy should be rendered irrelevant to Ethiopia by the intellectuals. In so doing, they fortify the unity of the country and aspire for joint political, social and economic development. Initially, they may engage in research activities at universities and research institutions to understand the realities on the ground. They may use representative samples from different urban and rural areas in different regions. Cultural similarities and differences may be identified through these studies. Focusing on the similarities common identities of Ethiopians may be fortified.
Ethiopian intellectuals have great responsibility for identifying similar attitudes and outlooks about their country. They have to communicate to the people their academic and research results. These outcomes have to be introduced to different sections of the people residing in different regions. They should not limit exchange of information to the academic circle only. If reality to be told, some studies are left on shelves without even being read by concerned intellectuals.
Ethiopian intellectuals should create the opportunity to collaborate with local and international scholars. They may be involved in projects related to the political and economic history of the country. They have also the responsibility for a deeper understanding of the culture, economy, and social issues. The Ethiopian intellectuals may be exposed to a variety of culture representing several ethnic, tribal and clan groups.
Similarly, foreigners and tourists coming to Ethiopia enjoy these diverse groups originating from various parts of the country. The academicians have produced a variety of documents on the economic performance of the country. They have made analyses on agriculture, industry and services and on their contribution to the growth and development of the Ethiopian economy. Similarly, sociologists have made studies on the psychosocial relations among the people of the country. In general, the intellectuals have the responsibility to relate the past and present socioeconomic developments in the country and suggest the future trends.
The Ethiopian intellectuals may promote innovation and entrepreneurship in their country. They definitely contribute to the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Ethiopia. They also establish new enterprises in partnership with local businessmen. These new investments create employment opportunities for the youth. These enterprises produce goods and services for local and external markets.
The entrepreneurs engaged in domestic investments contribute to output, employment and earn foreign exchange. They explore opportunities for development of technology and innovation. The Ethiopian intellectuals may be engaged in the development of technology that enhances agriculture and renewable energy. Agricultural development contributes to increased output and employment. It also generates foreign exchange by exporting products for the external markets. Ethiopia is also endowed with renewable energy that generates power to different sectors of the economy.
The intellectuals make endeavors to enhance social development in Ethiopia. They engage with various donor organizations to address social issues through community development. When residents in a community are organized they attract the attention of donors through the academic groups. These groups study the social problems of a given community and come out with programs and projects to be financed by donors. They may design projects for meeting the needs of people in the field of education, healthcare, and sustainable development. Schools may be built in rural areas for enabling children to have access to education.
Similarly health centers may be created to provide healthcare for the people in a given community. Training centers may also provide skills to the youth. The schools, health facilities and training centers contribute to sustainable development of the country as a whole. Where skilled labor force is available, it promotes the economic and social development of the country.
The Ethiopian intellectuals have the vast opportunity for the development of arts and culture in the country. They contribute to the preservation and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of the country through artistic endeavors, such as literature, music, and visual arts. They may also assist in the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country for domestic and touristic purposes.
The intellectuals may also collaborate with local artists and organizations to showcase the cultural diversity of the country with which Ethiopians are proud. With cultural preservation there comes environmental conservation. Here, there is a need to use intellectual skills to address challenges related to the environment. Efforts and skills of the Ethiopian intellectuals may resolve these challenges without worries about abuses of the cultural heritages. Continuous efforts will definitely contribute to sustainable practices in maintaining the rich cultural resources of the country. The intellectuals will have to collaborate with international environmental organizations to promote conservation efforts and raise awareness about climate change.
Ethiopian intellectuals have the opportunity to promote technology and engineering in various sectors of the economy. They have the capacity to participate in the development of infrastructure projects. Road building particularly in the rural areas is a major precondition for development. Also, the construction of dams, canals and irrigation are essential inputs for modern agricultural development in Ethiopia. The technology initiatives aimed at improving the connectivity of the country are critical for the overall economic development in Ethiopia. It is, therefore, a necessity to educate and train next generation of engineers and technologists to contribute to the development of their country. These are useful for transmitting knowledge in all sectors of the economy.
The Ethiopian economy has to be fortified with skilled personnel that contribute to an increase in production and productivity. The rate at which goods and services are produced has to rise to meet the demands of the people for these items. Productivity also enhances output for exports that are competitive in the international markets. The intellectuals have, therefore, the duty to contribute to high productivity.
The capacity to produce competitive export items earns foreign exchange for the country. Ethiopia needs foreign exchange with which it imports inputs required for its economic development. Some of these inputs are fuel, fertilizers, machineries, and vehicles for transportation. Intellectuals are against the import of luxury goods and vehicles that have no contribution to the economy. These imports should be banned as they leak hard earned foreign exchange. The income earned from export of goods and services have to be used for the purchase of medical instruments and medicines. Medical personnel and healthcare institutions cooperate to improve medical research and healthcare services. Initially, they educate and train personnel that provide healthcare services to patients.
The intellectuals, therefore, contribute to public health initiatives, especially in rural areas where access to healthcare may be limited. As taxpayers, the rural people have to be given the best medical services available in Ethiopia. The intellectuals should focus on the provision of health, education, transport and other services to the rural people in the economic development program of the country.
The Ethiopian intellectuals should be allowed to engage in policy research and analysis to contribute to the development of the country. They should be engaged in preparation of effective and sustainable government policies that address problems faced by the people. They may engage productively with governmental and non-governmental entities to address issues of governance and challenges to transparency. In this respect, Intellectuals defend and promote good governance to respect the rights of the people. They also try to minimize or remove the challenges that hamper transparency in public services. They also contribute to educational and training programs and initiatives by providing expertise in curriculum development. This effort improves the quality of graduates that flow into the economic sectors for employment. The quality of education is based on the standard of the teacher training program conducted in the country. Intellectuals do explore opportunities for online education and e-learning platforms to reach a wider audience.
It is very crucial for the intellectuals to participate in the media and communication programs and projects. They may engage in journalism, writing, and media production that enhances and contribute to informed public discourse. Intellectuals are also instrumental in the use and application of communication skills to advocate for social and political participation. They inform the public of its constitutional rights to participate in economic, social and political spheres. They may refer to the history of Ethiopia on the issues related to these spheres of life.
The continuity of the history of the people and country is of the essence. It provides intellectuals with opportunities that are as diverse as the Ethiopians are. They cater for a range of intellectual interests and opportunities. It is, therefore, important to collaborate with all categories of people in every community to develop a sense of national unity. The Ethiopian intellectuals have every opportunity to understand the specific needs of Ethiopians and contribute meaningfully to the socioeconomic development of their country.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY GETACHEW MINAS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2024