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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Era</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Globalization</strong><br />

Edited by Emmanuel Obuah<br />

This paper exam<strong>in</strong>es <strong>the</strong> causes and symptoms <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>efficiencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> project governance system <strong>of</strong><br />

Ethiopia and f<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>the</strong> most important front-end challenges <strong>of</strong> public <strong>in</strong>vestment projects. The research<br />

has questions like what are <strong>the</strong> most important problems lead<strong>in</strong>g to lack <strong>of</strong> relevance and susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong><br />

public <strong>in</strong>vestment projects? How <strong>the</strong> project governance system is function<strong>in</strong>g? What are <strong>the</strong> major<br />

factors that affect <strong>the</strong> efficiency <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> front-end governance system? The answers to <strong>the</strong>se questions help<br />

to map and review <strong>the</strong> project governance system <strong>in</strong> Ethiopia and help to ensure that we are do<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

right projects.<br />

Contextual Review and Economic Development <strong>in</strong> Ethiopia<br />

Ethiopia has total land area <strong>of</strong> 1.1 million square km with a population <strong>of</strong> about 82 million. It has federal<br />

system <strong>of</strong> government. It comprises <strong>the</strong> federal government, n<strong>in</strong>e adm<strong>in</strong>istration regions and two<br />

chartered city adm<strong>in</strong>istrations. The government is made up <strong>of</strong> two tiers <strong>of</strong> parliament: The House <strong>of</strong><br />

People’s Representative and House <strong>of</strong> Federation where political leaders are elected every five years. The<br />

executive branch <strong>in</strong>cludes a president, Council <strong>of</strong> State, and Council <strong>of</strong> M<strong>in</strong>isters.<br />

The Ethiopian economy is based on agriculture, which contributes 42% to GDP and more than 80% <strong>of</strong><br />

exports, and employs 80% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> population. The major agricultural export crop is c<strong>of</strong>fee, provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />

approximately 26% <strong>of</strong> Ethiopia's foreign exchange earn<strong>in</strong>gs. O<strong>the</strong>r traditional major agricultural exports<br />

are lea<strong>the</strong>r, hides and sk<strong>in</strong>s, pulses, oilseeds, and <strong>the</strong> traditional "khat," a leafy narcotic that is chewed.<br />

Sugar and gold production has also become important <strong>in</strong> recent years (US Department <strong>of</strong> State Bureau <strong>of</strong><br />

African Affairs, 2011). Accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry <strong>of</strong> F<strong>in</strong>ance and Economic Development (MoFED)<br />

reports <strong>the</strong> Ethiopian economic activities have shown a healthy growth over <strong>the</strong> last fifteen years. On<br />

average 10 percent growth rates are registered between 1996 and 2008/2009. In 2010 <strong>the</strong> annual growth<br />

rate was10.4 (US Department <strong>of</strong> State Bureau <strong>of</strong> African Affairs, 2011). This recent growth translated <strong>the</strong><br />

GDP per capita from US $102 <strong>in</strong> 2000/2001 (MoFED web site, 2011) to US $ 390 <strong>in</strong> 2009/2010 (World<br />

Economic Forum, 2010). The economy has, <strong>the</strong>refore, been <strong>in</strong> robust growth trajectory <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se years.<br />

Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se periods, <strong>the</strong> government has prepared and implemented two macroeconomic programs and<br />

<strong>the</strong> third one is on progress. These programs are Susta<strong>in</strong>able Development and Poverty Reduction<br />

Program (SDPRP) from 2002/2003 to 2004/2005, Plan for Accelerated and Susta<strong>in</strong>ed Development to<br />

End Poverty (PASDEP) from 2005/2006 to 2009/2010 and <strong>the</strong> ongo<strong>in</strong>g Growth and Transformation Plan<br />

(GTP) from 2010/2011 to 2014/2015. Under SDPRP and PASDEP programs <strong>the</strong> country has<br />

implemented different major public <strong>in</strong>vestment projects. These <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>the</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> 23 new<br />

universities and <strong>the</strong> expansions <strong>of</strong> 10 o<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>the</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> many primary and secondary schools, <strong>the</strong><br />

construction <strong>of</strong> thousands <strong>of</strong> health centers, thousands kilometers <strong>of</strong> road construction projects, water<br />

supply projects, extensive hous<strong>in</strong>g development projects, hydro power projects and o<strong>the</strong>rs. Compared to<br />

<strong>the</strong> previous background <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country, <strong>in</strong> this period many public <strong>in</strong>vestment projects have been<br />

<strong>in</strong>itiated and implemented. The number and <strong>the</strong> types <strong>of</strong> projects are extraord<strong>in</strong>ary and significant<br />

achievements have been recorded. But considerable weaknesses are also observed both <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> project<br />

concept development and project implementation processes.<br />

Public Investment Projects <strong>in</strong> Ethiopia<br />

Projects are policy implementation tools us<strong>in</strong>g limited available resources (f<strong>in</strong>ance, manpower and<br />

materials) for accomplish<strong>in</strong>g development programs (Cusworth &Franks, 1993). How to identify <strong>the</strong> right<br />

projects, how to prepare <strong>the</strong>m through to successful completion and how to operate and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>m<br />

afterwards is an important issues to be considered for marshall<strong>in</strong>g a countries resource’s for development<br />

(Baum & Tolbert 1985). In Ethiopia, <strong>the</strong> concepts <strong>of</strong> public <strong>in</strong>vestment projects have been <strong>in</strong>itiated from<br />

different parties. These <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>the</strong> government, sectors, private <strong>in</strong>vestors, civil society, aid agencies,<br />

donors, banks, NGO, and o<strong>the</strong>rs (MoFED, 2006). These sources <strong>of</strong> projects <strong>in</strong> Ethiopia are classified as<br />

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