Despite the painstaking zigzags and loopholes the country had to cruise through, Ethiopia is gradually transiting from a backward, poverty ridden country into a new horizon of meaningful socio-economic and political development.
As the nation is on a threshold of marking a New Year with higher optimism, the author of this article wishes to highlight on the major indicators of Ethiopia's national transition.
Ethiopia has recently adopted a new path to prosperity by employing a comprehensive macroeconomic policy which included financial, fiscal, technological and social reforms that are already being implemented in an integrated and speedy manner. The transition from importing wheat to substituting it locally including rice production for self-sufficiency in the context of National Basket Bounty and Made in Ethiopia Campaigns, promotion of eco-tourism resorts, the speedy pace in which GERD and other hydropower dams are being completed, massive accomplishments on National Green Legacy Initiative and corridor development projects across the country, promising strides on Digital Ethiopia are all vivid indicators of the fact that Ethiopia's national transition on the ground for all to witness.
Ethiopia has made significant strides in its foreign policy and diplomacy in recent years, focusing on regional integration, conflict resolution, and economic partnership.
Ethiopia has played a crucial role in promoting regional cooperation within the Horn of Africa. The country's efforts in mediating peace processes, particularly in South Sudan, have been significant. Ethiopia has also been a driving force in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which focuses on peace and development in the region.
Ethiopia has continued to engage actively in multilateral diplomacy, particularly within the African Union (AU), which is headquartered in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia's leadership in AU initiatives, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), has positioned the country as a key player in African diplomacy.
Despite the recent negative stance, propaganda and belligerency from Somalia, Ethiopia remains one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, particularly in conflict zones in Africa.
Ethiopia has been pursuing economic diplomacy to attract foreign investment, enhance trade relations, and secure development assistance. The country's efforts to deepen ties with emerging economies, such as China and India, have resulted in significant investments in infrastructure and industrialization projects.
Ethiopia has been actively involved in diplomatic negotiations regarding the GERD with Egypt and Sudan. Despite the challenges, Ethiopia has maintained its stance on the equitable use of the Nile waters, seeking a fair agreement that ensures its development needs are met while addressing the concerns of downstream countries.
These achievements reflect Ethiopia's growing influence in regional and international diplomacy, as well as its efforts to balance its national interests with broader global and regional goals.
Ethiopia has made several strides in strengthening its democratic institutions over the past several years, focusing on political reforms, institutional capacity-building, and increasing public participation.
The country has undertaken significant electoral reforms aimed at ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections. The establishment of an independent National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has been a critical step towards enhancing the credibility of electoral processes. The board was restructured to improve its independence, transparency, and accountability, leading to more inclusive and competitive elections.
Judicial independence has been a priority, with efforts to depoliticize the judiciary and enhance its capacity to uphold the rule of law. Transitory reforms include the restructuring of the court system, improving the appointment process for judges, and ensuring the judiciary's autonomy from political influence.
Despite the irregulars on misinformation and propaganda on the social media and some mainstream media outlets, Ethiopia has made progress in promoting media freedom, which is a vital component of a functioning democracy. Reforms include repealing restrictive media laws, reducing censorship, and allowing greater freedom of expression. The government has also taken steps to ensure that state media operates independently and that private media outlets can function without undue interference.
The government has introduced reforms to empower civil society organizations (CSOs) and allow them to operate more freely. The revision of the Charities and Societies Proclamation, which had previously restricted the activities of CSOs, has allowed greater civic engagement and participation in the democratic process.
Moreover, Ethiopia has strengthened its federal system by promoting greater decentralization and autonomy for regional governments. This has allowed more localized governance, enabling regions to address specific needs and concerns of their populations. The move towards decentralization has been seen as a way to address ethnic tensions and ensure more inclusive governance.
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been restructured to operate more independently and effectively. The commission has taken on a more proactive role in monitoring human rights abuses and advocating for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.
Efforts have been made to strengthen the capacity of key democratic institutions, including the parliament, election bodies, and watchdog institutions. Training programs, institutional reforms, and international partnerships have been critical in building the technical expertise and operational effectiveness of these institutions.
These achievements represent significant steps towards establishing a more stable and democratic Ethiopia, although challenges remain in consolidating these gains and ensuring that democratic practices are deeply entrenched in the political culture.
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Ethiopia has continued to find solutions to the conflicts that flared up in the country by promoting the rule of law and simultaneously engage in the rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities destroyed during the two years' war in the Northern part of the country. Huge tasks have been accomplished in rehabilitating displaced citizens, restoration of services on airstrips, telephone lines, internet and restarting of banking services and land transport.
As a country of a population that has exceeded one million as a prerequisite for consolidating the rapid economic development of the country, Ethiopia has been working on having access to the sea as a legitimate right. The signing of an agreement on access to port between Ethiopia and Somaliland is a new and historical venture which is expected to end the landlocked nature of the country which in turn may make a greater shift in the geopolitical and geostrategic shift in the Horn of Africa.
Over the last several years, Ethiopia has accomplished a lot in transiting the administration of the economy and sector offices into a digital technology and AI which is now showing marked transition to the promotion of digital economy.
Editor's Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
