Presentation Given for Expats on Growth and Transformation Plan
The External and Public Relation Department of the Ethiopian Civil Service University organized a half day presentation on the Growth and Transformation Plan on March 21, 2011 to the University Expatriate Staff.
The presentation was given by Dr.Abraham Tekeste, State Minister of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
Dr. Abraham’s presentation covered Progress and Challenges under PASDEP, the Basis and Objectives of GTP, Pillar Strategies of GTP, Economic Sector Development Plan, Social Sector Development Plan, Capacity Building and Good Governance, Opportunities, Challenges, Monitoring and Evaluation of GTP.
During the presentation, Dr.Abraham said that the five years plan would sustain the double digit growth the nation managed to register over the past years. The plan has also targeted a fast and sustainable economic growth in which the industry sector would play significant role. He further noted that the plan aims at expanding and ensuring quality health and education services towards meeting the MDG targets.
After the presentation participants raised questions and forwarded their comments and suggestions. Among the questions forwarded were: What are the measures to be taken in order to encourage domestic saving? What measures have been taken to the setting of core industries? What kind of contingency plan has been developed? What are the challenges of the implementation of the GTP? Why did the government give only limited attention to tourism? How can you regionalize the plan, targets and finance? How does the plan entertain the issue of peoples with disability?
Following the question and comments raised by the participants Dr. Abraham gave answers and explanations. Dr. Abraham said on the current conditions the country can not rely on external saving funds because it would be very difficult to sustain. Therefore the government has already started taking measures that can enhance saving like increasing interest rate, which the national bank would regularly revise, government saving bond, housing and equipment finance, access to financial services to people who live in rural areas. The public banks will be encouraged to expand their services.
Besides, Dr. Abraham said the government also devices automation programs that would support the banking system. Concerning the incentives for industries, he noted that the government has been carefully playing its role to enlarge the scope from a few export-oriented industries to import substitute industries which are fertilizer, metal and engineering, and sugar industries.
Further Dr. Abraham said finance, lack of execution capacity skill and inflation as a challenge for the implementation of the plan. But, he said, the participation of the public would ensure in monitoring the implementation.