Addis Ababa, August 16 (ENA)--The comprehensive discussions held at the 4th conference of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have an overriding significance to build a democratic system and expedite economic and social development in the country, two Ethiopian diplomats said.

Ethiopian ambassadors to China, Addisalem Balema and to Sweden, Tewolde Gebru, told ENA that the appraisal conference helped TPLF members to rectify weaknesses and identify anti-democratic practices witnessed over the last 10 years.

Addisalem Balema, who is also member of the TPLF central committee, said the challenging problems that faced the TPLF could have been a catastrophic failure had they not been solved through open discussions.

The new and constructive ideas forwarded by participants of the conference had a substantial importance in consolidating TPLF, Addisalem said.

He said pursuing agricultural and rural centered development strategy was the best option to accelerate economic growth given the existing reality of the country. 

Ambassador Tewolde Gebru said on his part that the conference enabled to further strengthen the front that underwent popular and bitter struggle to bring peace and democracy in the country.

The reformation process in the front created an enabling environment to forge ahead with the public based development endeavors, the ambassador said.

He also urged the government to encourage the participation of the private sector in the nation building process.

Cadres and members of TPLF in the United States  and Europe had managed to clear up the confusion created by the malicious propaganda of the dissident group that splintered from the central committee of the front.

(END)