Three-Day U.S. Conference Spotlights
Ethiopia's Future
11 April, 2010 | By Peter Clottey
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A three-day conference that focused on good governance, peace
and security as well as sustainable development in Ethiopia and the
Horn of Africa ended over the weekend in Arlington, Virginia.
Aklog Birara, a senior advisor at the World Bank and an organizer
of the conference, said it was a soul-searching conference, adding
that Ethiopia’s future and that of the Horn of Africa will largely
depend on the talent pool of experts in the Diaspora.
“One of the features that really attracted me is the fact that it
(conference) drew a cross-section of experts -- foreign experts,
Europeans, Americans, Ethiopians, and Ethiopian-Americans from
different backgrounds. Overall, there were more than 70 speakers
on different topics,” he said.
The conference organized by Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) and the
Ethiopian National Priorities Consultative Process attracted
specialists, former diplomats, human rights activists, and scholars,
as well as top officials of the international community.
Birara said the conference also focused on how countrymen living
abroad can help improve the lives of Ethiopians back home.
“The focus was on Ethiopia, the Ethiopian people, and the Horn of
Africa particularly. What is it that all of us can do that will make a
difference in terms of the ordinary people in Ethiopia. What is it
that we can provide in terms of really engendering hope (and)
aspiration. Bridging relations, for example, across ideological and
ethnic lines,” Birara said.
The organizers believe that development in Ethiopia, the stability
and its viability, as well as peace and economic development in the
region are tied to how Addis Ababa and the international donor
community can work together to address previously unmet
challenges.
They also said the stakes for Ethiopia and its population of 83
million people are higher than at any other time in its history.
Birara said unity and dialogue among Ethiopians could help
rebuilding efforts.
“One of the areas that we tried to explore was we can’t just be
constant critics. How is it that we can bridge relationships in order
to contribute our part at least in building durable, strong-pluralized
institutions in Ethiopia? I think the fact is that we do not reach out
to one another across ethnic lines. Dialogue among us, you know.
And also dialogue between the opposition parties and government.
We need to really accentuate the reaching out,” Birara said.
He added that if Ethiopians fail to come together, the challenges
facing the country will persist.
Courtesy
Ethiopia's Future
11 April, 2010 | By Peter Clottey
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A three-day conference that focused on good governance, peace
and security as well as sustainable development in Ethiopia and the
Horn of Africa ended over the weekend in Arlington, Virginia.
Aklog Birara, a senior advisor at the World Bank and an organizer
of the conference, said it was a soul-searching conference, adding
that Ethiopia’s future and that of the Horn of Africa will largely
depend on the talent pool of experts in the Diaspora.
“One of the features that really attracted me is the fact that it
(conference) drew a cross-section of experts -- foreign experts,
Europeans, Americans, Ethiopians, and Ethiopian-Americans from
different backgrounds. Overall, there were more than 70 speakers
on different topics,” he said.
The conference organized by Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) and the
Ethiopian National Priorities Consultative Process attracted
specialists, former diplomats, human rights activists, and scholars,
as well as top officials of the international community.
Birara said the conference also focused on how countrymen living
abroad can help improve the lives of Ethiopians back home.
“The focus was on Ethiopia, the Ethiopian people, and the Horn of
Africa particularly. What is it that all of us can do that will make a
difference in terms of the ordinary people in Ethiopia. What is it
that we can provide in terms of really engendering hope (and)
aspiration. Bridging relations, for example, across ideological and
ethnic lines,” Birara said.
The organizers believe that development in Ethiopia, the stability
and its viability, as well as peace and economic development in the
region are tied to how Addis Ababa and the international donor
community can work together to address previously unmet
challenges.
They also said the stakes for Ethiopia and its population of 83
million people are higher than at any other time in its history.
Birara said unity and dialogue among Ethiopians could help
rebuilding efforts.
“One of the areas that we tried to explore was we can’t just be
constant critics. How is it that we can bridge relationships in order
to contribute our part at least in building durable, strong-pluralized
institutions in Ethiopia? I think the fact is that we do not reach out
to one another across ethnic lines. Dialogue among us, you know.
And also dialogue between the opposition parties and government.
We need to really accentuate the reaching out,” Birara said.
He added that if Ethiopians fail to come together, the challenges
facing the country will persist.
Courtesy
| All rights reserved. |
| Ethio Quest News Together We Can Make It! |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Ethio Quest News: For latest Ethiopian News, views, Reviews and More |
| Related Stories |
| The Horn of Africa Wikipedia |
| Violence, fear and confusion: welcome to the Horn of Africa 10 January, 2010 (Peter Beaumont) "One of the two anchors of the so-called "arc of crisis" - the locus of religious, economic and political faultlines which extends in a broad sweep through the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, terminating in India....More |
| Picture: Mr. Obang Metho addressing the Conference |