Conference Discusses Ethiopia's Post-War Economic Status 

Addis Ababa July 16(ENA)-- A two-day conference organized by the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development (EIIPD) to discuss Ethiopia's post-war status of economic development was launched here on Monday. 

   EIIPD President, Dr. Kinfe Abraham said the conference would evaluate the socio-economic problems Ethiopia had encountered during its war with Eritrea and suggest ways of curbing the problems through international assistance. 

    He underscored the importance of convening the forum as it can help arrive at some well-articulated views and pointers on ways coping with the post-war economic challenges, which he said, Ethiopia faces. 

    The involvement of the private sector and non-governmental organizations are mandatory to curb the problems the country is facing because of Eritrea's war of aggression, as the government couldn't solve the problems alone, Dr. Kinfe said.

     He also stressed the need to forge a new consensus among all stakeholders in the country and outside to redress the socio-economic reversals caused by the war. 

     United Nations Development Program Resident Representative, Dr. Samuel Nyambi said on his part that the war has affected external assistance to Ethiopia.

   With some exceptions to sector development programs, a number of donors withheld pledges to other sectors, some creditors such as the International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank and World Bank either reduced or halted disbursements, he added. 

    Various research papers on related topics will be presented in the course of the conference organized in cooperation with Frederich Ebert Foundation.

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