Madam, – Contrary to Eamon Delaney’s article, (“Rising populations are at core of overseas aid issue”, Opinion, February 16th) the state of affairs in Ethiopia is neither miserable nor are we heading to a Malthusian catastrophe.
While it is true that disastrous policies of past regimes and natural calamities had made Ethiopia wallow in the quagmire of poverty, the situation today gives us reason to be optimistic for a better tomorrow. The assertion, therefore, that demographics are preventing the nation moving ahead with its ongoing developmental gallop cannot be more absurd.
The Government has put in place a two-pronged approach to address the anticipated effects of population growth on our development. The first is the spread of primary education to all, with particular emphasis on women. This is complemented by heightened public awareness of the benefits of family planning. Primary level education coverage scaled up to 95.6 per cent, from 19 per cent in 1991. Improving access to education, which saw a 90.5 per cent rise in school enrolment of girls, has allowed us to bring to the fold young girls who would otherwise be vulnerable to early marriage.
Voluntary family planning programmes also provide couples with information and contraceptives needed to plan childbearing. The government’s carefully carved out family planning programme, which is robustly being implemented nationwide, as well as the work being carried out by NGOs from various nations, is yielding the desired result. The latest census indicates a downward trend for population growth: down from 3 per cent to 2.5 per cent, with all indices pointing to further slide.
However, given the predominant role religions and traditions play in the societies and because family planning programmes are implemented on a voluntary basis, there could not be a quick fix.
The second track places heavy emphasis on the need to enhance our economic performance to cushion rises in populations. Ethiopia has significant untapped natural resources, a pleasant climate and fertile soil, as well as an abundant young workforce.
To attain faster economic growth, the government made economic diplomacy the fulcrum of its foreign policy strategy. By focusing on promoting inward investment, trade and tourism, we will attain economic independence, which is vital if we are to achieve food security. Over the last 18 years the country has been engaged in a major socio-economic transformation which has enabled us to year on year reduce the level of poverty.
With our economy growing at double-digit rate for six consecutive years, and with the world slowly but surely getting rid of its pessimistic view on Ethiopia, we have every reason to be cautiously optimistic about our future. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the combined effects of global warming and climate change continue to stymie our relentless efforts. Ethiopian farmers know all too well that they have become unfortunate victims of the carbon based development strategy of the west which has significantly contributed to climate change.
Therefore, the real culprit for Ethiopia’s food dependency is climate change and not population growth as such.
Ethiopia remains an appreciative and grateful development partner of Irish Aid where money from the people of Ireland continues to change the lives of millions in the countryside. Ethiopians regard this generous partnership of Ireland as a manifestation of the values so dearly held by the people of Ireland.
If the axe were to fall on Irish Aid’s budget, it is the poorest of the poor who are going to lose out. Ethiopia not only believes that aid by itself will not help us overcome our multi-faceted developmental concerns, but that we need to get out from aid dependency at the earliest possibility.
That is why we have been looking for genuine partners for mutually beneficial ventures particularly in the areas of investment, trade and tourism.
– Yours, etc,