Dutch Minister sees Ethiopia's potential
The Dutch in Somaliland
Knapen has also visited Somaliland, a region of Somalia that claims independence but hasn't been recognised as a sovereign country. The Minister says that Somaliland, as a stable region, has an important role to play in the explosive Horn of Africa, especially in war-torn Somalia. The Netherlands actively supports the training of parliamentarians and prison personnel. It has also build the Somaliland house of parliament and two prisons (one finished, one on the way) and is involved in setting up an orderly judicial apparatus.
After a three-day work visit to Ethiopia Dutch Minister for International Cooperation Ben Knapen is favourably disposed. Despite concerns of human rights and imminent drought, he sees great potential for development, especially in the agricultural sector. "This country should be an exporter of agricultural produce."
You have donated an extra million euro to help victims of drought in southern Ethiopia. How bad is it?
"It is hard to tell at the moment but if you consider the continuous drought and the conditions of crops it is expected to become awkward in September. The relief organisations I have spoken to are in a rush to ensure food supplies, because they say the Ethiopian government has been rather late in their response. The estimated number of people affected by the catastrophe varies but I get the impression that it might amount to several millions of people."
The main reason of your visit is development cooperation. What is the Dutch approach in Ethiopia?
"We plan to add Ethiopia, if the parliament agrees, to our list of countries on which we focus our attention. This cabinet spearheads food security and agriculture but also puts an emphasis on economic growth. We are convinced that growth will stimulate people to take on issues such as education and health by them self. What I see is promising. If you make small adjustments to cow food for example, which is a matter of knowledge transfer and not costly at all, it will produce ten liters of milk instead of five. This makes a big difference for a small farmer that lives of a small piece of land and one cow, because he can bring spare liters to the market. There are plenty of such opportunities that make me enthusiastic about the course we have embarked upon."
What is there to win in agriculture?
"In Ethiopia an estimated 83 percent of the population lives in the countryside. We want to help the poorest people. If you succeed in improving the activities of small farmers just a little it will release you from the continuous threat of food insecurity and possible famine. This country should be nothing less than an exporter of agricultural produce. You can see it clearly when you fly over Ethiopia: there is so much potential."
Ethiopia leases out large plots of fertile land to foreign investors to boost its agricultural output. Do you share concerns that this might affect the existence of small-scale farmers and the environment?
"Ethiopia is aware of the importance of sustainability and the environment. That is quite exceptional for a developing country. When it comes to foreign investors it is important for them to include the Ethiopian population in their business. You can see that in the horticultural sector in which a lot of Dutch entrepreneurs are engaged. They have created many jobs. We highly value corporate social responsibility. You should avoid investors to come to Ethiopia, bring their own workers, put up a large fence around their company and go home when the job is done. That is not sustainable development. Indian and Chinese investors have a tendency to do that and it is an issue that deserves and gets special attention."
Despite being an important western ally and a donor darling, Ethiopia has a somewhat disputed track record when it comes to human rights. The United States recently voiced their concerns. Is this a reason to change policy?
"I share these concerns and have discussed them extensively with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. It is an important subject for the Netherlands. We have discussed Ethiopia's law on civil society that restricts nongovernmental organizations. NGOs that are funded from abroad are not allowed to engage in public advocacy. This, according to the Prime Minister, is an internal affair. I think it should be possible to create more space for civil society through dialogue. It is important for us as a partner to identify ourselves with the way things are done here. I's a point of concern, but it hasn't come to a situation that calls for international interference. We discuss these issues and, in combination with our other activities, it will create awareness among the authorities about what is acceptable and what is not."
http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/dutch-minister-sees-ethiopias-potential
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Posted By Blogger to SAMOTALIS at 6/10/2011 01:20:00 AM
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