High Level Forum (HLF) between the GoE of Ethiopia and the Development Assistant Group was held on 7th March 2017 in Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation. The forum brought together Ministers, high level Government officials and DAG members to deliberate on youth employment and global partnership on effectiveness development cooperation. At the forum the Government reiterated its commitment to give high priority to industrialization, inclusive growth and youth employment opportunities in order to sustain the country’s development gains.
In line with the country’s vision of attaining a middle-income country and becoming Africa’s light manufacturing hub by 2025; the Government’s strategic focus is on labor-intensive industries that create jobs and bring structural transformation. It was agreed that concerted efforts should be made in the areas of capacity building for entrepreneurs and government institutions; provision of land, credit and other necessary services; creation of linkage with other sectors and addressing humanitarian and development challenges in a more comprehensive and coordinated manner.
DAG co-chairs expressed their concerns regarding youth unemployment particularly in rural areas and highlighted the significance of having a sound industrialization strategy; environmental and social safeguards for sustainable development. The forum noted that joint efforts will be made towards improved institutions to enhance coordination and synergy across the various programs on job creation and youth employment by development partners. In terms of global partnership on effective development cooperation, it was agreed that Government and development partners will focus on three indicators- Aid predictability, Aid on budget and Use of Country Systems-setting individual targets by each agency and collectively at national level to improve Ethiopia’s performance on future Global Partnership on Effective Development Cooperation monitoring survey.
Minister of Finance Dr. Abraham Tekeste noted that government’s vision for Ethiopia is to attain a diversified economy that generates adequate resources to address risks with a robust resilience and social protection system, both in rural and urban areas in the coming years.