Ethiopia
USAID's Strategy in Ethiopia
Though making progress, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest
and most famine-prone countries in the world, with more than
half of the population living on less than US$1 per day. USAID’s
success has largely to do with its leadership in addressing
the uncertainty and instability of rural Ethiopians’
livelihoods, working with the Government of Ethiopia (GOE),
other donors, international organizations, the private sector,
and civil society organizations. The challenge over the coming
years is to strengthen the GOE’s ability to carry out
its plans for the security of the most vulnerable populations
and accelerate economic growth in this country that acts as
the linchpin to stability in the Horn of Africa and the Global
War on Terrorism.
ANTICIPATING AND MANAGING SHOCKS
Localized droughts in 2004 and 2005 will cause food shortages
for 10 to 12 million people. USAID's program to improve the
capacity of the GOE to anticipate and manage shocks like droughts
through improved emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation
and response is central to the famine prevention strategy.
USAID supports the GOE's Disaster Prevention and Preparedness
Commission to respond to crises in a rapid, integrated, and
coordinated manner. Timely warning in the two most recent
droughts that occurred almost back-to-back ensured a rapid
delivery of food, health, agriculture, and water assistance
and saved thousands of lives.
IMPROVING HUMAN CAPACITY
USAID programs link health, HIV/AIDS, and education to improve
access to and use of primary health care and education services.
Health programs focus on increasing child survival and immunizations
for measles, polio, and meningitis; strengthening reproductive
health planning; improving maternal and child nutrition practices;
treating and controlling malnutrition, pneumonia, diarrhea,
tuberculosis and malaria; and improving health care systems.
As a focus country for the President’s Emergency Plan
for AIDS Relief, USAID works in the prevention of HIV/AIDS
and care and treatment of the over 1.5 million people infected
with the virus.
USAID supports the GOE to improve the primary education system
planning and management capacity at all levels. Programs enhance
teachers’ capacity; provide supplementary media and
materials that focus on girls; strengthen parent and community
involvement in school management; and expand alternative basic
education for out-of-school children and functional adult
literacy.
STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE
While restrictions on free media and civil society still
exist in Ethiopia, open debates and formation of new opposition
parties and coalitions are underway. USAID’s program
supports community-based reconciliation efforts, conflict
early warning and response mechanisms, and free and fair elections.
Programs bringing together community leaders and government
in conflict areas have led to local-level conflict mitigation.
Training to enhance the professional competencies of judges
and the institutional capacity of Ethiopian courts has enabled
judicial systems to support the democratization process.
SUPPORTING MARKET-LED ECONOMIC GROWTH
USAID focuses on agricultural-based economic growth to reduce
poverty and food insecurity and prevent famine in Ethiopia.
Programs improve economic policy; increase market-led private
sector growth, trade competitiveness, and agricultural productivity;
protect and increase the assets of the poor; and provide emergency
assistance. A land administration program will improve land
tenure security. Support to agricultural cooperatives enables
small-holder farmers to benefit from reduced production costs
and higher prices for their products; to export cash crops
such as coffee and oilseeds directly to international markets;
and forge business partnerships with agro-processors, commercial
horticulture producers, and traders. USAID loan guarantee
programs provide short-term (marketing) and medium-term (investment)
financing. Pastoralist programs train local animal health
workers to address livestock diseases and link pastoralists
to markets.
ENCOURAGING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Improved information analyses and dissemination will help
policy makers in Ethiopia make better-informed decisions and
lay a foundation to reduce vulnerability to famine, hunger,
and poverty. USAID aims to improve overall economic policy
and governance and support local think-tanks to play a greater
role in the policy analysis and reform process. For example,
USAID supported the citizen report cards survey, which tracks
the effectiveness of delivery of government services.
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