Opening statement by H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi prime minister of the federal democratic republic of Ethiopia

Abstract

Opening Statement by H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia at the ECA Conference of Ministers of Finance and Ministers Responsible for Economic Development and Planning. H. E. Ato Meles on his remarks highlighted that, prospects for development in Africa appear in many ways brighter today than they have been for sometime. There are concrete signs of rising economic growth rates, of increasingly strong commitment to economic reforms, of consolidation of democratic governance in many countries and of growing dynamism of the private sector. Current realities also make it abundantly clear that this approach is by far more realistic and appropriate. With the decline in external resources inflow in Africa, and little prospects for any major and immediate improvements in accessing external development assistance, particularly in the form of ODA, African countries have little option but to rely on our own domestic mobilization of resources for development. Africa has had more than its share of conflicts and, more often than not, these are. in one way or another, related to the very socio-economic conditions of the Continent and the malaise and hopelessness engendered by that condition. Many thoughtful individuals in the citadels of the orthodoxy are questioning many of its prescriptions.