President Girma Woldegiorghis addresses the new Parliament
On Monday [4th Oct], President Girma Woldegiorghis inaugurated a joint session of the new House of Peoples’ Representatives and of the House of Federation, following the elections in May. Noting the success of those elections, which he described as “peaceful, democratic and credible”, the President emphasized that the coming year would be particularly important as it would lay the basis for the implementation of the Five Year Growth and Transformation Plan.
Based on the high growth rate over the last seven years, and on the building of a successful democratic system, President Girma said the Plan is expected to bring about a fundamental structural change and lay a strong foundation for Ethiopia’s renaissance. During preparation of the Growth and Transformation Plan, the Government had held a series of public consultations in urban and rural areas, and gathered significant and important inputs. The Government was now in the last stage of finalizing the Plan which would be presented to Parliament for endorsement. It will focus on strengthening the macro-economic framework, and will give special attention to stabilizing grain prices, increasing agricultural productivity and preventing inflation from rising above the current single figure level by taking action to balance money supply and growth. On the basis of the recent adjustment of foreign exchange rates, it is expected that the foreign exchange market will stabilize to encourage exports and import substitution.
The President noted that the Growth and Transformation Plan would require significant amounts of development finance to develop renewable energy resources, and modern telecommunications and infrastructure and expand land and air transport. Loans and foreign assistance would make an important contribution but the Government was planning to secure the decisive portion of the necessary finance from domestic resources. It would therefore be paying special attention to revenue collection and to tax evasion as well as taking measures to develop a culture of saving. It would also continue to carry out a range of activities to increase job and wealth creation, expand participatory developmental opportunities for women and youths in both urban and rural areas, and design and implement social welfare programmes. The President noted that a salary increment would be given to civil servants in the second half of the financial year.
The President also spoke of the efforts to be made to strengthen and deepen the multi-party system in the country, and to make sure institutions and organizations are in place to encourage peoples’ participation. Consultation forums will be set up to enable opposition parties that respect the constitution to be involved in all aspects of public affairs. The President noted that every effort would be made to build on the past efforts in civil service and justice sector reform. Effective implementation of the Growth and Transformation Plan required these should be informed by developmental principles and the sense of service that govern the political process. Laws and proclamations for the necessary reforms would be promulgated and the necessary restructuring carried out.
President Girma also referred to security. Steps will be taken, he said, to ensure internal peace and stability, and to enhance citizens’ participation in this. The Government would redouble its efforts either to deal with elements working in collaboration with Eritrea and its sponsorship of terrorism, or to persuade them into peaceful avenues. The Government would remain vigilant in response to anyone attempting to destabilize the region.
The President also referred to the House of Federation which would be responsible for revising and adopting the formula for the distribution of subsidies to the regional states. It will carry out educational activities to raise levels of understanding of the Constitution, and help enhance the country’s decentralized political system. The House of Federation will also do everything necessary to see that the Fifth International Conference on Federalism, being held later this year, is successful.
The same day, the House of Representatives re-elected the Chairman of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front, Meles Zenawi, as Prime Minister. Ato [Mr] Abadula Gameda and Wro. [Ms] Shitaye Minale were elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Ato Kassa Tekle Berhan, Speaker of the House of Federation. The following day, Prime Minister Meles announced the members of his new cabinet.
A Week in the Horn would like to welcome the new Foreign Minister, Ato Hailemariam Desalegn, the deputy chairman of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front, who was elected at its recent congress. He has also been appointed deputy prime minister. A former deputy head and then president of the Southern Regional State, Ato Hailemariam is also chairman of the Southern Ethiopian Peoples’ Democratic Movement (SEPDM), demonstrating the capacity for leadership to which Prime Minister Meles has drawn attention. He takes over as Foreign Minister from Ato Seyoum Mesfin, who held that position since the EPRDF came to power in 1991. Ato Hailemariam was previously Government Whip in the House of Representatives; he has also been Social Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister with the rank of Minister as well as chairing several Boards, including the Privatization and Public Enterprises Supervisory Agency and currently the Ethiopian Railway Corporation. Ato Hailemariam studied engineering at university and after graduation served as a lecturer and then as Dean of the Water Technical Institute at Arbaminch in the Southern Regional State. He entered politics and joined SEPDM when it was set up in November 1992, bringing together a total of 20 parties which subsequently merged into a single movement a decade later.