Addis Ababa (PP News Desk) — One of the Ethiopian government’s flagship economic policies has come under fire from Dr Berhanu Nega, the leader of Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice.
In an interview with the EBC Television Dr Nega has cast doubt on the direction economic reforms are taking. Dr Nega said that the switch from state-led economy to a market-driven economy was commendable but government’s efforts are falling short of “structural changes” Ethiopia needs.
“We need to have an integrated reform with a clear objective as to where we need to go to. And in my view … our objective … [should be] to achieve an economy whereby we have a strong domestic capacity to manufacture … and export high value items to the international market[s]” Berhanu said.
The politician-turned-economist has singled out the Ethiopian educational system for not producing capable business leaders who can steer the economy away from dependency on subsistence farming to a more productive and competitive sectors. “We have expanded [the higher education [system in Ethiopia] at the expense of serious quality” Berhanu said. Ethiopian government is planning to privatise key state-owned companies including Ethio Telecom and Ethiopian Airlines.
Berhanu argued that privatisation should not exacerbate inequality and that its benefits for posterity in terms skills citizens will learn from privatised ventures should be taken into account.
© Puntland Post, 2020
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