Speedy Progress & Transformation for our beloved nation, Ethiopia

By Tsehaye Debalkew, Washington D.C.
Tigrai Online 29 January 2015

Our country, Ethiopia, in the last twenty four years, with a combined and concerted effort of the government, civil society, the private sector and the people of Ethiopia at large, has shown great socio-economic strides which have eventually altered its tarnished image for good.

Ethiopia is, today, reckoned as one of the few top front liners in the world manifested with a breakneck and hopping socio- economic growth. The people of Ethiopia have now tasted the fruits of their hard labor and have vowed not to pause but to strive forward until poverty is uprooted once and for all in its entirety.

Since the advent of the forces of peace in Addis Ababa in1991, the people of Ethiopia together with other stake holders have been engaged in fixing, building and ameliorating the economic and social infrastructure of the country. The results of the combined efforts of these forces of development have been remarkably fruitful.

 The depths of the problems that we inherited from the past are extremely deep rooted, the challenge to tackle these problems still requires strong resolve by all of us in and outside Ethiopia. Even though, what has been accomplished so far in Ethiopia is so marvelous, the reality on the ground speaks that more needs to be done.

All stake holders in Ethiopia have been marching forward in unison, as part and parcel of the forces of development, have for the last twenty four years been participating in different areas of development endeavors. Besides the apt provision of a network of roads and other infrastructure both in the rural and urban areas the country has reduced its poverty line by 33%.

By way of acknowledgement it is in order to mention here that, the building of 32 universities, hundreds of thousands of primary schools, thousands of secondary school thousands of health clinics and hundreds of hospitals attest to the amelioration of entrenched social ills by all Ethiopians without the addition of private schools, hospitals, and health centers.

All these projects were realized in partnership with the local communities who stand tall. This is an indelible and outstanding example of the unified and collective will, strength and determination on the part of Ethiopians who have been the net and ultimate beneficiaries.

Although much has been accomplished, the people of Ethiopia still need the unstinted support of Diaspora Ethiopians. More schools, libraries, computers, laboratory equipment and books which are abundant in North America are needed. If we pull together our will and energy, there is nothing that could hinder us from making our wishes and dreams come true.

Hoping that everyone of us has a list of wishes ready in store for the new year 2015, which is yet at its infancy, I call upon everybody to include his/her solemn pledge of determination and participation in development activities as one of his/her priority wish list.