EBR 122 – Ethiopian Business Review

Tackling New Challenges, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

Good nutrition is essential for everyone’s health and well-being. It is crucial for children, as malnutrition can lead to stunted growth, cognitive impairment, and reduced productivity in adulthood. Ethiopia has made significant progress in reducing malnutrition in recent years, but more work still needs to be done. Investing in nutrition is good for the economy. However, Ethiopia’s malnutrition problem has been exacerbated by conflict and climate shocks. These factors have led to food inflation and population displacement. Despite the growing challenges to the fight against malnutrition, the country still has the potential to become an exemplar state for malnutrition solutions in the region, writes EBR’s Eden Teshome.

What Explains the Sky-High Prices?

In the grand scheme of life, they say your first job is like your first love – a rollercoaster ride filled with thrills, spills, and a hint of naivety. My journey into the world of real estate in Addis Ababa was no exception. Picture it: a fresh graduate architect stepping into the bustling world of property development when nobody knew what real estate even meant! It was like explaining the concept of sushi to a room full of cows.

In today’s interconnected world, businesses have increasingly sought opportunities beyond their national boundaries. Expanding into new markets and exploring investment prospects has become a viable option for companies looking to grow and thrive. While venturing into foreign markets can present challenges, several nations stand out as highly conducive environments for businesses and individuals alike. These countries offer welcoming business climates, robust infrastructure, stable economies, and supportive regulatory frameworks. Notably, Africa has emerged as a significant investment hub, with the continent experiencing impressive economic growth. Despite the presence of socioeconomic challenges, many African countries are rapidly evolving to become attractive destinations for business owners.

Ethiopia has a rich and proud history of athletic excellence, particularly in long-distance running. Ethiopian athletes have won 59 Olympic medals, including 23 gold in track and field events. This result is comparable to the 113 Olympic medals, including 35 gold, that neighboring Kenya has achieved. Ethiopia has a high altitude, which helps to develop athletes’ cardiovascular systems. The relatively cool climate is also ideal for training—the solid cultural emphasis on running also, in a way, prepares youth for athletics. Kenya’s dominance in the continent came mainly in recent years, since 2008. From the lack of infrastructure to poor administration and insufficient funding, Ethiopia’s athletics require a solid intervention to overhaul the sector, especially in short and medium-distance running, EBR’s Brook Genene reports.

Examining the Ramifications of Not Opening New Public Posts

When the Ethiopian government announced its intention of not opening new posts in the civil service in the current fiscal year, the news shocked students and graduates. For many years, employment in the public sector has guaranteed a stable life. In a changing scenario now, public sector employment is no longer a guarantee for a decent income and regular life. In recent years, the salary and benefits of public sector employees have been minimal. At the same time, the working environment compromises professional freedom as more public sector roles have increasingly become political. That’s because successive governments used the civil service to reward their loyal supporters by offering employment.

For this reason, the civil service is already crowdedly staffed, many of whom need to be more skilled. It’s one of the reasons why the current government found it difficult to institute an efficient and corruption-free civil service. Like its predecessor, it, too, wanted to reward some of its loyal supporters by granting them employment in the earlier days of its ascendancy. However, due to a solid fiscal discipline needed to curb inflation, the government announced its intention of not opening any new posts last July. EBR’s Nejat Mohammed explores the ramifications of this policy.

Investing in Nutrition

Tackling New Challenges, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

Addis Ababa’s Real Estate Odyssey

What Explains the Sky-High Prices?

Top 10 Most Rewarding African Countries To Do Business in 2023

Bridging the Gaps in Ethiopia’s Quest for Athletics Excellence

Boosting Youth Employability

Examining the Ramifications of Not Opening New Public Posts