Ethiopia, the Path to Building a Strong Nation

A strong nation is defined as a combination of institutions that operate independently, regardless of leadership changes. This means a system that operates according to specific principles and is immune to external pressures.

Ensuring institutional continuity is key, and such a system provides robustness that is unshaken by various problems.

The stability of state power depends on how well human rights and democratic values are upheld. The national system becomes more robust when citizens' fundamental and political rights are guaranteed.

If these rights are violated, the nation can face crises and internal conflicts, leading to instability.

Historically, regime changes in Ethiopia have occurred through force or rebellion rather than consensus. This has led to an accumulation of social grievances and a vicious cycle of civil wars.

Reliance on political appointments instead of a merit-based bureaucracy is cited as a factor further deepening the instability of the national system.

It is important to realize grassroots democracy rather than solely emphasizing the central government. In Ethiopia's case, establishing democratic elections and transparent administration at the lowest administrative unit, the Kebelle, is essential to prevent corruption.

This means governance should be by representatives chosen by the people, without bias towards specific language speakers or political affiliations. It is crucial to employ personnel based on merit.

If a democratic system is established at the Kebelle level, the nation's democratic foundation will be strengthened, allowing for self-governance and stability according to the will of the people.

When the rule of law is upheld, peace is maintained, which becomes a key factor in attracting foreign investment. An administration free from corruption and discrimination is the foundation for the rule of law and social stability.

Consequently, a competent bureaucracy formed through democratic procedures drives the nation's sustainable growth, leading to overall economic development and prosperity.

This lack of institutional consistency has been a primary cause of the failure to build a strong national system.

The repeated frustrations in the national development process over the past 35 years are analyzed as stemming from this absence of institutional continuity.

Conflicts arise from fragmented historical values of the past and present, leading to a lack of consensus on national symbols and history. The tendency to interpret history in black-and-white terms is identified as a serious problem hindering national unity.

Approaches that negate everything from the past or absolutize a specific era negatively impact the establishment of national identity.

Simultaneously, efforts are underway to ensure transparency and eradicate corruption through the digitalization of public services and payment systems.

Additionally, equitable development is pursued through improved access to education and quality, and financial transparency is being ensured to enhance the credibility of the national system.

It is crucial to maximize professionalism by effectively linking job roles and personnel.

A system that operates independently, regardless of changes in agency heads, must be built so that the nation is run by the power of institutions rather than individual capabilities.

These changes are essential to enhance the stability of the national system and lay the foundation for long-term development.

Building a national system is not like constructing a building, but a long process of evolution where independent institutions, free from party influence, operate systematically. This means building a system over time, rather than physically constructing it like a building.

It emphasizes the importance of institutions functioning independently, beyond the government or specific political parties, and recognizes that the robustness of a national system is not achieved overnight.

It is necessary to first review conflicts and legal overlaps between existing policies and new government policies. Each institution needs to objectively evaluate its performance to leverage strengths and address weaknesses. Analyzing the achievements of the past five years to reinforce strengths and rectify weaknesses is an essential step to bolster the robustness of the national system.

Through this, unnecessary legal overlaps should be avoided, and the efficiency of the national system should be enhanced.

Therefore, resolving internal conflicts and bloodshed must be the government's top priority.

Efforts are needed to institutionalize peace through nationwide consensus and continuously maintain it.

One of Ethiopia's problems is the intertwined roles of the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches. Each institution must clearly perform its unique duties according to the laws assigned to it.

It is more important to verify actual law enforcement procedures than lawmaking, and role confusion among institutions acts as one of the fundamental causes of national instability.

In particular, national enemies or armed groups should never be underestimated.

The failure of the past Mengistu Haile Mariam government demonstrates the importance of thorough vigilance and strategic response against the enemy.

Thorough vigilance and effective response strategies against armed groups are essential for national security.

Knowledge Transfer is very important when carrying out overseas projects. For example, there is much for Ethiopian engineers to learn from projects undertaken by companies such as Salini.

It is necessary to check whether Ethiopian engineers are prepared to independently acquire design and construction capabilities to carry out similar projects on their own in the future.

Citizens' political rights are non-negotiable values. The government must recognize that its power is temporarily delegated by the people, and citizens must fulfill their inherent duty to monitor and report corruption. There can be absolutely no compromise on citizens' democratic and political rights.

Citizens have a duty to monitor government activities and report corruption, which is essential for maintaining a healthy democratic society.