Diaspora community urged to support Ethiopia’s renaissance

Addis Ababa, July 30, 2016 (FBC) – The government of Ethiopia has called upon all Ethiopians in the Diaspora to support the renaissance of their country of origin by engaging in investment at home.

Government Communication Affairs Office (GCAO) made the call following this year’s Ethiopian Diaspora day celebration, which was started on Thursday in Bahirdar, the capital of Amhara Regional State.

Ethiopians in the Diaspora have the potential to realize the renaissance of their country by engaging in various investment sectors, said the Office in a statement it issued yesterday.

The government has gone a long way to coordinate, effectively engage and encourage the Diaspora to invest in their country by drafting and introducing Diaspora policy, it said.

The statement noted the government wants the Diaspora community to seize these opportunities and be part of the renaissance of the country.

Thousands of Diaspora Ethiopians are taking part in the Diaspora day celebration being held mainly by visiting development activities and investment opportunities.

Yesterday, the Diaspora community visited industry villages, hospitals and flower farms and attended the laying of the corner stone of the Diaspora Park.

In a discussion they held today with pertinent government bodies, the Diaspora community requested the government to address the bottlenecks that have been blocking their investment participation at their country of origin.

Participants of the discussion mentioned rent seeking and problems related to land lease and issuance of licenses as the major barriers for Diaspora investment.