The conspiracy on Ethiopia’s development /Tesfaye Lemma/
Ethiopia has been striving to alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable economic growth, which could be witnessed by the achievements it gained in the past two decades. The socioeconomic and political developments in the country are the live evidence for this fact. In other words, we can consider the most significant development projects in the country, those already completed and those under construction, while witnessing about this fact.
There are lots of substantiating performances in this regard. The country’s economy has grown at a double digit for the past ten consecutive years. A number of huge projects, including the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, and the railway projects could be considered as examples when we argue that, the country is rising both economically and socially.
It is also possible to consider the hydropower dams, road infrastructure, telecommunication, access to potable water, access to health and education as some of the indications for the developments of the country and unreserved efforts towards poverty alleviation.
The hydropower dams and the Sugar Development projects could be typical examples. Ethiopia has been investing on those areas so as to facilitate its efforts to change the agrarian economy to industrial led economy. The well progressing in the country, its success in alleviating poverty and its significant contribution in regional and continental peace set fire on its enemies.
The country’s enemies don’t usually expose their major objectives. They rather find some sensitive issues in the country like religion, governance and the like. It is also customary that these groups who have been dreaming of destabilizing the country and jeopardize its development.
These groups also use some international organizations like Human Rights watch that on purpose reported distorted the image of the country and attempting to impose Ethiopian development partners to restrain themselves from cooperating with Ethiopia. If we go through its reports, it is a piece of piss to comprehend the hidden agendas of these groups.
Ethiopia, since the inception of the projects in the Lower Omo Valley, has taken great care to take any possible impact on Lake Turkana into consideration. It has conducted detailed feasibility study and Environmental Impact Assessments on the basis of both the requirements and guidelines of the Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia and of international Standards and policies.
Ethiopia and Kenya have been in regular consultation over the Gilgel Gibe III Dam and related development schemes, working closely to resolve any concern issue. It was known that a delegation from Kenya made a five-day working visit to Ethiopia in May 2009 and other groups made the same visit in January 2015 based on the invitation of the Ethiopian government.
It’s also known that an Ethiopian delegation made a working visit to the Kenyan side of Lake Turkana in November last year. These technical expertise exchange visits are part of the ongoing measures by both countries to address any issues that arise in a sustainable manner.
It is known that it has been publishing various periodical reports in connection the Ethiopian mega-projects. It persistently claimed the Ethiopian Sugar Development and Hydropower Dam Projects with insufficient substantiating arguments and evidences.
The Tendaho, Wolkaite and Omo-Kuraz Sugar Development Projects, the Gilgel Gibe III and GERD Hydropower Dams and resettlement programs are some of the mega projects persistently attacked by that organization.
All these activities take place in conspiracy over the countries development despite the different steps the government has taken so as to create a friendly atmosphere and working for mutual benefits.
The government has not only undertaken different measures to ensure fair wealth distribution among Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia but also integrate with neighboring countries so that all people in the region could be benefited from the fast sustainable economic development and the booming infrastructure in Ethiopia.
No development project in Ethiopia is undertaking without the necessary impact assessment studies. Besides, the government ensures whether there is social recognition and acceptance.
Recognizant of this fact, the government has been engaging not only the Ethiopia people but also people and governments that have any connection with the resource harnessed for any project.
This vividly indicates that the persistent allegation of HRW and emanated from some hidden political agendas. It has little concern about the people either in Ethiopia or in Kenya. Had it had concerns, it couldn’t have stood against developments that contribute for the improvement of the lives of people around.
Ethiopians know that there is no one that could tell them about the dos and don’ts of their development. The economic development registered in the past two decades gave them courage that they determined to protect any destructive activity against their development.
Many political analysts also agreed that, all these allegations have never emanated from misunderstanding and misjudging the significance of the projects that have been taking place in Ethiopia.
The contribution of the people in poverty alleviating is so significant as the country identified poverty as its arch foe. The country has been working day in day out to make poverty a history and ensure sustainable development having envisioned becoming one of the middle income countries in 2025.
As a result, there are various encouraging changes in he past two decades. The past twenty five years witnessed that Ethiopia has made progress in both economic and social developments.
However, the objective of these groups is crystal clear. It is simply to sidetrack the development of the country and retard it from its fast forward move. The conspiracy will never be fruitful as it is against the will and interest of the Ethiopian people.