Public Lecture: The Economic Underpinnings of the FDRE Constitution
Dr. Fasil Nahom, Legal Advisor to the prime minister with rank of minister gave a public lecture to ECSU community entitled "The Economic Underpinnings of the FDRE Constitution" on January 24, 2014 in Renaissance hall of the University.
Before he started his presentation, his memory flashed back to his stay at the University some 16 years ago. He said he feels at home and he is happy to see the University growing in such extent.
Dr. Fasil in his presentation described the Constitution as legal and political document. He said FDRE Constitution sets building one economic community as its goal. However, building one economic community is not an end in itself but a means to an end of achieving sustainable, equitable and just socio economic development.
According to Dr. Fasil, the FDRE constitution provides neither the command economy of the communist ideology nor the laissez-faire economy of the capitalist. While the free market - economy is the principle, the FDRE constitution requires the state to play critical role in Ethiopian`s economy.
Dr. Fasil also said
"the state must be a vigorous player in the economy; and it should be at the helm of the game."
Thus, the FDRE constitution guarantees group and individual rights of citizens in a way that contributes for sustainable development. It is wrong to perceive the FDRE constitution as merely or primarily for group rights.
Achieving equality and freedom is among the purposes to be achieved and the economic underpinnings of the constitution are designed to achieve equality of peoples and freedom of individuals. This is very clear from the way the provisions of the constitution dealing with land and natural resources management has been crafted, Dr. Fasil added.
In the end, the presenter has entertained some questions and concerns raised by the university community who were in attendance during the public lecture.
Dr. Mohamud Abdulahi, Deputy Director of School of Diplomacy and International Relations moderated the session.