Addis Ababa — The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is doing everything possible for the success of Ethiopia's 10-year development program, UNCTAD Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programs Director, Paul Akiwumi said.
In an exclusive interview with ENA, Akiwumi said that one of the key things to remember is that development does not happen overnight, development is a process that takes time but there is a need for the right policy to be put in place.
Stating that UNCTAD is finalizing a holistic development program for implementation stage in Ethiopia, the director noted the program will help the country to build the necessary capacities in the areas they have comparative advantages.
He added among others, the country can develop goods and services, can trade with partners and trade more effectively within the African Continental Free Trade area agreement.
According to the Director, the program is supposed to support the 10-year development plan. "We are doing everything possible to support the program,"he said.
There are some gaps and challenges but every economy has gaps and challenges, he affirmed, adding the key thing is that you have the right policies and capacities to address those gaps and challenges.
Akiwumi said the holistic productive capacities development program is crucial to advancing structural economic transformation and achieving the 10-year development plan.
"Our intervention strategy focuses on reducing over dependence by tapping the country's comparative advantages," he added.
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"Ethiopia's Holistic Productive Capacities Development Program has been developed to address the core development constraints. Overall, it aims at advancing structural economic transformation and enables the achievements of the objectives of the 10-year development plan, a pathway to prosperity."
Minister of Planning and Development Fitsum Assefa recently affirmed that in order to successfully attain the nation's targets, the sustainable development plan is imperative to Ethiopia to fortify its capacities.
Ethiopia has vision 2030, which is to be an African Beacon of prosperity.
The country prepared ten-year perspective development plan which has six strategic pillars: ensure quality growth, improve productivity and competitiveness, undertake institutional transformation, ensure private sectors leadership in the economy, ensure equitable participation of women and children, and build climate resilient green economy.
Recall that in line with ten years development plan, the homegrown economic reform (HGER) with the central objectives of sustaining rapid growth, maintaining stable macroeconomic environment by reducing debt vulnerabilities and creating adequate and sustainable job opportunities has been under implementation.
