Ethiopian Economists Association (EEA) awarded honorary
certificate to three of its members for their contribution to the association
and the profession at the 10th annual international conference. Mekonnen Manyazewal, Minister of Industry, was
honored for his contribution and prominent role in the formation of EEA and
long-term membership. According to the executive committee of EEA, Mekonnen is
known for organizing the first international conference.
Wolday Amha (Ph.D.), the former president of the EEA, also received the honor for his contribution to the association being at the frontier as president and vice president for six years each. Alemayehu Tafesse (Ph.D.), president of EEA, said that Wolday was the most important person during his time at the office of the association.
After receiving the award Mekonnen said that for the country
to transform the support of EEA is undoubtedly necessary, the minister recalled
that one of the papers presented at the first conference was his paper on
macroeconomic issues of the country.
Wolday Amha (Ph.D.), the former president of the EEA, also received the honor for his contribution to the association being at the frontier as president and vice president for six years each. Alemayehu Tafesse (Ph.D.), president of EEA, said that Wolday was the most important person during his time at the office of the association.
Wolday said that one of the challenging moments for EEA was
Birhanu Nega’s (Ph.D.) involvement in politics. According to Wolday, his
non-political affiliated association was negatively influenced by Birhanu’s
move into politics.
The other honored figure of EEA is Taye Mengiste (Ph.D). He
was recognized as one of the professionals who played a leading role in the
1990s and for his professionalism and teachings in economics. The award was
given in his absence though Alemayehu quoted his emails. Taye is now a senior
economist at the World Bank.
Meanwhile, EEA gave recognition to 17 members for their
uninterrupted membership since its establishment in 1992. It was only last year
that EEA started to honor prominent members. The late Eshetu Chole (Ph.D.) to
whom many refer as the father of economics in Ethiopia, was the first to be
honored at the ninth international conference.
One of the 91 papers presented at the conference was on how
to monitor and promote pro-poor growth by Stephan Klasen (Ph.D.), professor of
development economics and empirical economic research at the University of
Gottingen, Belgium. Among the several issues the professor raised, the missing
points of the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) is one that the government
might need to reconsider.
In the agriculture sector, the issue of new seeds, marketing
and other related issues are constraints that need further analysis though
missing in the GTP. Rigorous evaluation of effectiveness of progress in areas
of extension agents, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), input
packages, fertilizer support are the missing links, according to professor Klasen.
He said that the role of khat production is still missing in the plan, as the
stimulant is heavily water and land intensive.
“Production of khat is drying away the water resources and
the GTP does not say anything about khat but rather increasing the production
and expansion of export is most expected,” he said. Khat is one of the cash
crops that has generated more than 220 million USD in export to Israel and
other European countries.
The three-day conference raised so many issues on Ethiopian
economy even if EEA now remains less vocal on top of economic agendas that are
mostly debated in many walks of life in Ethiopia.
Source: The Reporter (By Birhanu Fikade)
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