Ethiopians in the diaspora and foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin have legally transferred an average remittance of over 4.5 billion USD annually during the last five years, the Ethiopian Diaspora Service revealed.
The participation of the diaspora in the calls for national development of the country is ever-growing, it was learned.
The last 100-day project evaluation session of the fiscal year held by the Council of Ministers began yesterday in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Assefa has delivered 100 days of development performance and the Second phase of Homegrown Economic Development performance reports as well as key development plans for the next fiscal year.
Over the last 10 months of the fiscal year, Ethiopians in the diaspora have delivered a remittance of 4.2 Billion USD, the Minister reported.
Deputy Director General of the Ethiopian Diaspora Service, Belayneh Aknaw, told ENA that the amount of foreign exchange remittance legally sent home by Ethiopians and foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin is steadily growing.
Over the last 5 years of reforms, the Ethiopians in the diaspora have been transferring an average remittance of 4 to 5 billion USD annually, he added.
The amount of remittance transferred during the reform years has greatly increased compared to the amount transferred during the pre-reform years.
This is due to the reformative actions taken to enhance the participation of the diaspora in the national economy, Belayneh stated.
The Deputy Director General noted that various activities have been conducted in cooperation with concerned stakeholders to establish efficient and alternative legal means and systems in which the diaspora can transfer money.
He further added that over the last eight months of the current fiscal year, 1,745 diaspora members have opened accounts in domestic banks and deposited more than 2.2 million USD.
According to the Deputy Director General, lands have been delivered for the execution of 210 development projects of the Ethiopian diaspora worth 17 billion Birr over the last 9 months of the fiscal year.
He added that 21 of these projects have now become fully operational providing employment opportunities for 1,000 Ethiopians.
Furthermore, more than 17 million USD has been collected over the last 9 months from the diaspora in kind and cash to the construction of GERD, Dine for the Nation initiative, and other philanthropic and development programs.
Belayneh stated that differences in outlooks on various issues of the country did not deter members of the Ethiopian diaspora community from participating in all development issues of the country.
He further explained that the government is doing everything to scale up the participation of the diaspora in cooperation with concerned stakeholders and regional governments urging the diaspora to continue responding to the calls of their country and participate in the development of the nation.
Source: ENA
