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Ethiopia: Greatest Resources of a Country, Its People - Catholic Priests
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The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa)
11 September 2007
Posted to the web 11 September 2007
Menase Kifle
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia has the best chance for economic growth and development in the new millennium provided the country gets the chance to fully exploit its resources-its people, visiting Catholic priests told The Daily Monitor on Saturday.
The priests from Ireland England and Scotland made the statement after the visits they paid to various monasteries and provinces in the country which they said have given them the chance to mingle and get some idea about the people and their diverse culture.
They said the greatest resources for a country in overall development endeavors are its people.
They said the country must first be able to use its human resources to attain development and prosperity in the new millennium.
Father Andrew Downy of Newcastle England said he was convinced from his short visit to the country that Ethiopia had a great potential to economic as well as academically develop in the millennium provided the country receives good guidance to the right path.
"We are here on a very humane level," Father Sean Mc Hugh said when asked about the purpose of their visit.
Father John Eager from Scotland said for his part that he was awed at the spirit of brotherhood that the Ethiopians had for one another.
"The dignity of Ethiopians and the sense of the people wanting to help one another is very inspiring," he said.
Father Sean Mc Hugh added to this by saying "we want to help the people of Ethiopia to help themselves." Catholic development agencies of SCIAF (Scotland), Trocaire (Ireland) and CAFOD (England and Wales) brings in 3.5 million Euros to Ethiopia, according to Beverley Jones, Joint Ethiopia Office Representative for Trocaire, CAFOD & SCIAF.
That is comprised largely of voluntary income from their supporter base, topped up with funds from the EU Commission and the Big Lottery fund.
Their interventions focuses on three main areas: promoting innovative approaches to livelihoods; supporting the development of civil society organizations; and improving the quality of services to people living with HIV and AIDS.
Catholic priests from Ireland England and Scotland have been visiting the various monasteries and provinces of Ethiopia and have mingled with the society to get an idea of Ethiopia and its diverse culture.
When asked about the insights of what they had,Father Sean Mc Hugh from Ireland concurred with these comments but he also added that Ethiopia was on a very positive path to a huge development.
He said that, Trocaire, CAFOD & SCIAF with their Joint Ethiopia Office Representative plan to help in the development of Ethiopia by introducing new ideas dealing with livelihood, food security, women issues health and academic education.
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Father Sean Mc Hugh when asked about the coming millennium celebration said that this occasion was not only about the millennium but was about the coming of Christ and that they were here to celebrate the new millennium as well as the coming of Christ. He also added that he was eagerly looking forward to celebrating mass at the cathedral on the 12th of September in recognition of this fact.
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