Ethiopia is putting in place reforms that aim to broaden the private sector’s participation in the economy, Ahmed Shide, Ethiopia’s Finance Minister said. The reforms that are being implemented also hope to see an increase in competitiveness and create decent jobs.
Mr. Ahmed, speaking at a joint Economic Commission for Africa – World Bank Roundtable Workshop on Jobs and Economic Transformation, said unemployment remains an outstanding issue for Ethiopia in spite of the rapid economic growth the country managed to sustain for the past fifteen years or so.
The finance minister highlighted that a recent survey showed overall unemployment has not eased despite a decrease in urban unemployment. Due to this, Mr. Ahmed related, there is an increased need to foster private sector participation in the economy. “A concern for policy makers in Ethiopia continues to be the ability to create adequate quality jobs,” he added.
Ahmed Shide further noted that the government has been keen on implementing strategies that focus on job creation, and has been “fully cognizant” that a structural transformation is needed in sectors of all levels of productivity for more jobs to be created.
Consequently, the government is underway implementing several strategies and programs targeting to support micro, small and medium enterprises, industrial parks development and construction of integrated agro-industrial parks, all concurrently. He specifically applauded the service and hospitality sector as the biggest job creator so far in Ethiopia.
While expressing his belief that a forum such as the one he was taking part in will help think more clearly on how to implement job creation strategies, stressed out saying, “For a country like Ethiopia where two million new jobs need to be created, there is nothing more important than tying the job creation agenda with transformation efforts.”
Other participants of the forum also agreed that Africa cannot develop and eradicate poverty if it continues to do business as usual, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). There are needs to raise agricultural productivity, significantly and creating value chains for decent paying jobs, among other actions, ECA further disclosed.
Sources: Fana BC, Walta Info
