Policy Matters…..

Policy matters is a
conversation platform which aims to provide
reasoned analysis and content to the
activities ,reforms and policies of the federal
government of Ethiopia.
Journalist:A vary warm Welcome to our conversation today.
Here with me is mr Mamo Mihretu a senior policy advisor to
the prime minister. Thank you so very much mamo for
making time for this. Topic for discussion today is policy
reform. Its one of the critical functions of the government in
general but often very less talked about. In his recent address
to the parliament his Excellency Prime Minister Dr. Abiy
Ahmed spoke about the different aspects of policy reform that
has been implemented in the country over the last two plus
years. I hope we will expound on this critical reforms in our
conversation today. But before ________________in to that
perhaps its actually start was the very need for a reform. You
know often times whenever there is a change in leadership in
many countries it really comes with a wave of reforms and
that also the case in our country and in our history here in
our Ethiopia.so really what inspired the change in Ethiopia
over the last two plus years? was there even a need for a
reform?

Guest: Yes you are right many reforms in Ethiopia seems to

come in waves. Every generation in Ethiopia whether it is the
1960s student generation or the generation before that or the
current generation for that matter seems to be caught up in
this extensional paradox. On one hand there is consciousness
about Ethiopia’s long history of state road and pride in being
the only African country that remains independent. so that
one source of pride for most Ethiopians. But on the other
hand there is deep awareness about Ethiopia’s poverty and
backwardness. In just give you one example in every ten
Ethiopians even now depends on food aid. Close to 60 million
Ethiopians that is double of the population Djibouti, south
Sudan and Somalia Sudan combined do not have access to the
electricity. Close to 93% of Ethiopia do not have access to
modern sanitation facility.so this awareness about our poverty
is also another factor. So in this context reform one of most
important objective of reforms is to address this problem, to
achieve shared prosperity in Ethiopia. so the quest for reform
in Ethiopia fundamentally is an effort to address the issues of
shared prosperity in Ethiopia .but the second point is it has
to do with the construction of state itself. You know in the
past the state was not seen as legitimate in the eyes of all
Ethiopians. So including Ethiopian in the governance. Making
sure that Ethiopian can identify with the state is another
important subject of reform. The third point has to do with
this issue of the cycle of protest and operation in Ethiopia.
And this is because number of governments in Ethiopia share
democratic deficit. Most Ethiopian governments were not able
to issue democracy in this country. So addressing democratic
deficit is an important area of reform. So why reform is
needed in fundamentally distil it or if you synthesize reform is
needed number one to achieve shared prosperity for all
Ethiopians. But number two it has to do with representation
its making sure the state is legitimate in the eyes of all
Ethiopians is the second important objective of reform. And
the third is addressing of the cycle of protest and operation.
In another word it’s addressing the democratic deficit and
insuring people’s fundamental right and liberty is respected.
So these are the reasons why reform is needed.

Journalist: You touched up on one important topic which is

democratic deficit and that actually brings us to one aspect of
reform which is political reform. In his recent parliament
readdress his Excellency prime minister stated I quote the
most important thing that happened in Ethiopia is the
formation of prosperity party, why is that so?

Guest: well as his Excellency the prime minister said on the

political space the most fundamental political reform that
happened in recent years is the formation of the prosperity
party and there are several reasons why prosperity party was
formed. Perhaps I would emphasize two important reasons
behind the formation of the prosperity party. I think the first
is there was a clear need to renew the ruling political party
through centrist policies, centrist program and centrist
ideology. There was huge demand from the public for the
government to deliver on a number of areas. But if you look
at the policy of EPRDF it tends to divide societies along
different lines. For example EPRDF way of working was to
establish an opposing reference group and deaminize that
group. That use how they mobilize their supporters. It divides
society for example as narrow nationalist, chauvinist, rent
seekers, productive investors and what have you. So you
cannot guide a society to a path of prosperity by dividing it
constantly. So there was a need to move away from politics
of division, politics of exclusion to the politics of hope. That
was the first important reason why prosperity party was
established. But the second reason is to create a platform for
all Ethiopians inclusive all inclusive platforms for all
Ethiopians to come together and forge a common vision. If
you look at EPRDF it was a party four political parties and it
did not represent Ethiopians fully. It was based on outmoded
ideology and policy that there is a core and there is
periphery. So prosperity wanted to create all inclusive political
platforms where every Ethiopian come together and agree on
a common vision and forge ahead towards prosperity with
equal responsibility and equal right. So that was the second
fundamental reason why prosperity party was established. And
perhaps quickly the third reason why prosperity party was
formed was to stream line decision making process through
the party itself. Instead of in four different political parties
doing their own thing would have one strong platform where
decisions are discussed, deliberated and agreed upon and
implemented. So that’s also another reason why prosperity
party was formed but in any case the formation of prosperity
party is one important and significant political reform that
would change the direction of this country for the better.
Journalist: so some critics claim that prosperity party seeks to
form a unitary government. How do you respond to that?

Guest: well this is absolutely absurd I mean first of all

people who said that are ultra nationalist groups that want to
dividing the society they know that is not true . In fact what
prosperity party wants to do change the past in federalism
that used to exist only in name to a true federalism.
Prosperity party respects diversity; it respects and protects the
diversity that exist in this country. And by the way diversity
is not a wrong thing. Diversity is something that needs to be
treasured and diversity is not a source of conflict. Herany is a
source of conflict, greed is a source of conflict diversity is not
a source of conflict.so what prosperity party wants to do is
respect, cherish and protect diversity but at the same time
focused on our shared common identity that was forged
through marriage, through trade, through blood ties and
throughout you know past Ethiopian’s history. So that in
fact what prosperity party wants to do is really work on true
federalism that would not only devolve power to regions but
also work towards our shared common identity.

Journalist: Let me take you to another aspect of reform

conversation which is legal institutional reform. Tell us a bit
more about the work that has been ongoing on this space and
its implication and significance for democratization

Guest: yes in the past two and half years a really important
work that was happening in this country has to do is
creating independent democratic institutions. This under
normal circumstances would be a work of decade. You know
the government in an attempt to respond to the desires and
needs of the public walked on creating independent
democratic institutions. For example one of the most
important work was the work that was done to make the
Ethiopian human right commission independent. There was
also similar work that was done to make the electoral board
independent. Independent, politically neutral and accountable
only to the constitution. If institutions are independent and
politically neutral, they would enjoy the confidence of the
public, they would enjoy moral legitimacy. So creating
independent democratic institutions was an important area
work for this government.