colonial times, the country played a paramount role in bringing Africans to unite under one organisation, the Organisation of African Unity, created in 1963 by 32 independent African states. The country had successfully hosted the UNECA which was established by the UN in 1958 - 5 years before the creation of the OAU in 1963. Ethiopian Airlines XLVI. The 66-year old Ethiopian Airlines is the pioneer African airline and one of the most reliable and profitable airlines in developing countries. The Airlines, apart from facilitating movement in Africa (it currently operates in 34 cities in Africa) also provides basic pilot and aviation maintenance training to trainees from several African countries. Ethiopia’s Road Development Program XLVII. Through the 10-year Road Sector Development Program (RSDP 1997–2007), a two-phased integrated package of investments, reforms, and institutional reorganisation which was later extended to include a third phase up to the end of June 2010, the Government of Ethiopia has been able to overhaul the road network. In all, more than 75,000 kilometres of road, including rural access roads, have been constructed or rehabilitated. Macroeconomic Policy Macroeconomic policy making is generally sound and supportive of broad-based economic growth as reflected in the following indicators: strong economic growth rates averaging 11. 8 percent between 2003/04 to 2008/09; successful control of inflation despite recent travails; private investment as a share of in GDP rose from 10.1 percent in 2004/05 to 18.2 percent in 2006/07; rapid growth of domestic savings from 1 percent of GDP in 2002/03 to 5.6 percent in 2006/07; reduction in fiscal deficits from 16.4 percent of GDP in 2002/03 to 8.6 percent in 2007/08. The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange XLVIII. The establishment of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECEX) in line with Arusha Declaration and Plan of Action on African Commodities of 2005 makes it possible, for instance, for a trader in India to buy futures of the prized Ethiopian lentils. The ECEX hopes to create a safe and transparent agriculture market, where quality, delivery and payment are assured. Ethiopia’s Ownership of its Development Planning Process XLIX. Ethiopia’s assertiveness in self-reliant planning is quite commendable. PASDEP is considered by Development Partners as a domestically developed medium - 33 -