Foreword
The APRM is Africa’s unique initiative, which aims at improving good governance and
supporting socio-economic development in the continent. Over the last decade since the
establishment of the APRM, valuable lessons have been learnt about governance and
development.
It gives me great pleasure to present the APRM Country Review Report together with the
National Programme of Action of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. This is the
fourteenth in the series and the eleventh one completed under my stewardship as the
Chairperson of the APRM Forum.
In a relatively short period of two decades Ethiopia has successfully shifted from a unitary
state to a federal system, established a fledgling democracy, and achieved a relatively high
economic growth rate.
The report highlights a number of commendable practices, which include overhauling and
developing good road networks through the ten-year Road Sector Development Programme,
assertiveness on self-reliant planning, pro-poor expenditure pattern of the government budget
with emphasis in the fields of agriculture, food security, irrigation, primary education and
health, and sanitation. Also commendable are the establishment of the Ethiopian Commodity
Exchange, the approach to microfinance, access to markets and the strong macro-economic
policy, which have yielded broad-based economic growth.
At the same time the report highlights challenges of resolving problems in its relations with
neighbouring Eritrea, smoothing the democratization process, strengthening governance,
and building the private sector.
The task ahead now is the implementation of the National Programme of Action (NPOA).
I therefore call upon the stakeholders of the APRM and the development partners to study
carefully this Report and the accompanying NPOA, and work together with the government of
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia towards the implementation of the NPOA.
I would like to thank my Peers in the APR Forum for their determination and commitment that
have enabled us to arrive at this stage of the development of the Mechanism as a whole.
I am also grateful to the APR Panel of Eminent Persons and the APRM Secretariat for
preparing this country Review Report.
Meles Zenawi
Chairperson of the APR Forum.