Food aid will be history by 2015 in Ethiopia

Few months ago Mr. Zenawi while responding to questions raised by the members of the House of the Peoples Representatives, which approved the 2003 EC federal budget in its regular session said that the new parliament may revise and request for additional budgets for the allocation of budget and mainly intended to reduce poverty.

He said Ethiopia is the only country in Africa which allocates the lion's share of its budget for poverty reduction activities. No country in Africa allots 70 per cent of its budget to poverty reduction activities, he added.

And, furthermore few days ago Sufian Ahmed, Minister of Finance and Economic Development who introduced the plan to local media in his office said, food insecurity at family and national level will be history at the end of the strategic plan period (2011-2015).

“Agriculture sector of Ethiopia will continue to grow fast by introducing modern and applicable farming technologies,” he noted.

The findings of the multi-agency assessment conducted in November/December 2009 and subsequent monitoring results indicate that approximately 5.2 million people in Ethiopia require relief food assistance in 2010.

“The total net emergency food requirement from January to December 2010 and non-food needs for the first six months amounts to USD 286.4 million,” indicates the Humanitarian Requirements 2010 - Joint Government and Partners’ Document.

Sufian indicated that the economy of the country will double with an average GDP growth of 11 percent per annum and the current 235 USD per capita income will almost double and reach 355 USD.
The industrial sector of the country is also expected to lead the economy after 2015, according to the plan.

In terms of infrastructure development and social services, the country has also set ambitious plans for the coming five years.

The government also planned to increase the current 2,000 MW electricity generation capacity of the country to 10,000 MW. Ethiopia also plans to build a 2,000 kilometers long railway during the strategic period.

Speaking on the attainability of such plans, Sufian stressed that since we are able to achieve what we planned over the past years, the government can also attain the new plan. He also calls upon everyone to be aware of the plan and work hard for its full implementation.

At his moment, most of us should atleast forgo our past (our election phobia) and support this Ato Melese’s and Sufian Ahmed, for their poverty eradication development strategy. Because, country can not be build by envious confrontation and for national electoral process only.

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