The major objective of this empirical research is to identify and explain the level of regional development and analyse the challenges of policy implementation with special focus on Tigray and Gambella Regions from 1995 to 2015. In line with the research objectives and statement of the problem, this study was designed to determine the level of development of the two regional states, the critical factors of regional growth in the regions, and what the major challenges were in the implementation of regional development policy. This research was explanatory cross-sectional in its design. In this research, both primary and secondary sources were consulted. Key informant interview, document review and observation were used to collect the necessary information. Accordingly, based on their expertise knowledge, and the position they held, a total of 24 regional and federal key informants were purposively selected and interviewed. The findings of the study showed that both regions made remarkable improvements and changes in health, education, road network, agricultural and revenue collection performance. However, contrary to the perceptions of the respondents, the secondary data when divided by regional population showed that in the past 20 years Gambella has been better off in terms of health, education, road networks and some agricultural indicators than Tigray. Tigray, however, grew more in terms of infrastructure than Gambella during the same period. The study found that the Government regional development policy designed and implemented as measured by growth-oriented indicators brought encouraging results. The most important determinant factors for regional economic development between the two sampled regions were: initial historical level of development; capacity of resource utilisation; leadership commitment, cultural differences, recurrent conflicts and insecurity, governance issues, political will, capacity of the regional government authorities; and rent-seeking attitude of politicians and civil servants. To address some of the challenges, few recommendations are made: designing a regional specific development policy, strengthening intergovernmental relations, protecting the environment, ensuring good governance, maintaining peace and security, strengthening capacity building, supporting infrastructural development for Gambella and the provision of additional financial incentives to regions. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

The main purpose of this study is to empirically assess the relationship between inflation and economic growth in Ethiopia using quarterly dataset from 1992Q1 to 2010Q4. In doing so, an interesting policy issue arises. What is the threshold level of inflation for the Ethiopian economy? Based on the Engle-Granger and Johansen co-integration tests it is found out that there is a positive long-run relationship between inflation and economic growth. The error correction models show that in cases of short-run disequilibrium, the inflation model adjusts itself to its long-run path correcting roughly 40% of the imbalance in each quarter. In addition, based on the conditional least square technique, the estimated threshold model suggests 10% as the optimal level of inflation that facilitates growth. An inflation level higher or lower than the threshold level of inflation affects the economic growth negatively and hence fiscal and monetary policy coordination is vital to keep inflation at the threshold. / Economics / M. Com. (Economics)

The main purpose of this study is to empirically assess the relationship between inflation and economic growth in Ethiopia using quarterly dataset from 1992Q1 to 2010Q4. In doing so, an interesting policy issue arises. What is the threshold level of inflation for the Ethiopian economy? Based on the Engle-Granger and Johansen co-integration tests it is found out that there is a positive long-run relationship between inflation and economic growth. The error correction models show that in cases of short-run disequilibrium, the inflation model adjusts itself to its long-run path correcting roughly 40% of the imbalance in each quarter. In addition, based on the conditional least square technique, the estimated threshold model suggests 10% as the optimal level of inflation that facilitates growth. An inflation level higher or lower than the threshold level of inflation affects the economic growth negatively and hence fiscal and monetary policy coordination is vital to keep inflation at the threshold. / Economics / M. Com. (Economics)

Unlike many other international instruments, accession to the WTO does not simply require the commitment of the government to sign and ratify the multilateral agreements. A country needs to make considerable legislative and administrative changes to comply with the standards of the WTO and its members to finalize the negotiation for accession. For governments with impure free market economy policy the challenges amplify. The government of Ethiopia publicly pronounces its adherence to the ideology of the developmental state. On the other hand the nucleus of WTO principles is progressive trade liberalization. Therefore, this dissertation tries to provide some reflection on the paradox created as a result of the divergence in priority between WTO principles and developmental state in the context of Ethiopian desire to join the organization. The research is an interdisciplinary work. The issues that will be discussed are not purely legal in their nature. They have legal, political and economic dimensions. And the main focus of the paper is on trade in services and foreign investment negotiation aspect of the accession. Furthermore the objective of the dissertation is to give some insight for policy makers about the challenges and opportunities that „Developmental State‟ ideology will pose in the accession process of Ethiopia to the WTO. The research is divided into five chapters. Chapter one gives introductory remarks about the concept of the developmental state and accession to the WTO. The limitations of the WTO accession process and an overview of the features of developmental state in the world and particularly in Ethiopia are also briefly discussed in the chapter. The origin and concept of developmental state in the world, in Africa and Ethiopia is discussed in some detail under chapter two. The chapter also tries to show the impact of developmental state policies in the laws of the country that are going to be deliberated in the process of accession. Chapter three is about accession to the WTO. In this chapter the requirements, benefits, challenges and procedures of accession are dealt in depth. The writer debates and tries to show the fact that the system is slowly shifting from rule based negotiation to power and precedent based negotiation. By analyzing the laws of Ethiopia that are inspired by the principles of developmental state against the legal and precedent requirements to join the WTO, I tried to correlate the findings of chapter two and three in chapter four. Specific strategies and advises on how to move the negotiation forward on certain areas are also outlined in this chapter. Finally, conclusion and my summarized recommendations are placed under chapter five. / Economics / LL.M (with specialization in International Economic Law)

Unlike many other international instruments, accession to the WTO does not simply require the commitment of the government to sign and ratify the multilateral agreements. A country needs to make considerable legislative and administrative changes to comply with the standards of the WTO and its members to finalize the negotiation for accession. For governments with impure free market economy policy the challenges amplify. The government of Ethiopia publicly pronounces its adherence to the ideology of the developmental state. On the other hand the nucleus of WTO principles is progressive trade liberalization. Therefore, this dissertation tries to provide some reflection on the paradox created as a result of the divergence in priority between WTO principles and developmental state in the context of Ethiopian desire to join the organization. The research is an interdisciplinary work. The issues that will be discussed are not purely legal in their nature. They have legal, political and economic dimensions. And the main focus of the paper is on trade in services and foreign investment negotiation aspect of the accession. Furthermore the objective of the dissertation is to give some insight for policy makers about the challenges and opportunities that „Developmental State‟ ideology will pose in the accession process of Ethiopia to the WTO. The research is divided into five chapters. Chapter one gives introductory remarks about the concept of the developmental state and accession to the WTO. The limitations of the WTO accession process and an overview of the features of developmental state in the world and particularly in Ethiopia are also briefly discussed in the chapter. The origin and concept of developmental state in the world, in Africa and Ethiopia is discussed in some detail under chapter two. The chapter also tries to show the impact of developmental state policies in the laws of the country that are going to be deliberated in the process of accession. Chapter three is about accession to the WTO. In this chapter the requirements, benefits, challenges and procedures of accession are dealt in depth. The writer debates and tries to show the fact that the system is slowly shifting from rule based negotiation to power and precedent based negotiation. By analyzing the laws of Ethiopia that are inspired by the principles of developmental state against the legal and precedent requirements to join the WTO, I tried to correlate the findings of chapter two and three in chapter four. Specific strategies and advises on how to move the negotiation forward on certain areas are also outlined in this chapter. Finally, conclusion and my summarized recommendations are placed under chapter five. / Economics / LL. M. (with specialization in International Economic Law)

Rural Ethiopia rolled-out a program for the establishment of farmers’ collective action groups known as ‘Farmers’ Development Groups’ (FDGs), in 2007, based on presumed common interest of smallholder farmers. Although the government trusts that FDGs fetch fast and widescale agricultural transformation as part of the participatory agricultural extension system, systematic study and evidence on what motivates smallholder farmers to act collectively, the group dynamics, long term impact and transformative potential of the agricultural extension groups is scarce. Using the expectancy-value theory in social-psychology, this study explores what drives smallholders to act collectively; their participation level and benefits in groups, particularly for women and the youth; and the extent to which farmers’ groups attain intended agricultural transformation goals of productivity and commercialization. The study collected a mix of qualitative and quantitative data in 2016, through 46 key informant interviews; 8 focus group discussions with farmers, and a survey of randomly selected 120 smallholder farmers (30 percent women) in four sample woredas (districts) of Ethiopia. The findings of the study are drawn through a content analysis, and descriptive and correlation analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The study findings show that social identity, and not ‘common interest’ motivates smallholder farmers to join and participate in FDGs. The study provides evidence that participation in FDGs enhances smallholder farmers’ adoption and use of agricultural technologies, where 96 and 84 percent of the farmers who received extension messages in the group on crop and livestock production, respectively, applied the message. Consequently, by 2015 more than 85 percent of the survey respondent farmers reported above 10 percent increase in crop and livestock productivity. Nevertheless, the nature of the incremental changes brought by the collective actions are not transformative, nor sustainable. Extension groups have limited contribution to commercialization of smallholders, where only 20 percent of the FDG members participate in output marketing. More so, FDGs avail limited collective opportunity for the landless youth, and married female farmers in a rural society where difference in power, status and privilege prevail. It also limits deviation of thought among the rural community. Limited access to inputs and technology; large family size; limited access to farm land; over dependence of the extension system on ‘model’ farmers and public extension agents, and poorly designed sustainability features bound the transformative potential of FDGs. The study forwards a set of five recommendations to unleash the potential of FDGs: reconsider the group design to be identity congruent; ensure inclusiveness for young and female farmers; empower and motivate voluntary group leaders; encourage collective marketing and; invest in sustainability features of the group. / Development Studies / Ph. D. (Development Studies)

This research explores the perception and practice of participatory communication for development. To this end, the study focuses on a leading local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named Organisation for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA), Ethiopia. This qualitative case study was based on the participatory development communication model which has been assumed to bring about sustainable socio-economic change of a country (Melkote & Steeves, 2001; Mefalopulos, 2008; Servaes, 2008). The data were collected using in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), document analysis and field observation. The collected data were organised and analysed in the form of content and thematic analysis. The results revealed economic oriented and top down approach to development communication as the dominant conceptions, and majority of the research participants perceived the concept ‘participation’ as mere contributions of labour and materials which are not real participation, but co-option. Only a few of the management members of ORDA conceptualized the idea of ‘participation’ as an empowerment process in which the organisation’s official document is also stated. Besides, the results showed no genuine participation of the local community in ORDA’s development process. Generally, these results could lead us to conclude that participatory communication was the missing link in the development process. That is, communication was perceived as a transmission of development information and an image building activity, not a process of empowerment. The major communications practices of ORDA were also best described as one-way top down which could reveal the legacy of modernisation and dependency theories of the development literature. The study further indicated pressing factors such as individual, organisational and environmental related affecting the implementation of ORDA’s participatory development communication. The results of study further indicated that participatory development communication was not used a means of liberation from the chain of poverty, dependency syndrome and other underdevelopment problems which deeply persist in the region. Based on the findings, the study commends the mainstreaming of participatory development communication both at the perceptual and practical level for achieving sustainable development in rural Amhara region, Ethiopia. / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication) / Communication

Villagisation and large-scale agricultural investments in Gambella region has been a major concern of human right groups. The Ethiopian government argues that Villagisation program is voluntary and part of Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) which attempts to bring development to indigenous communities and nothing to do with large-scale agricultural investment. On the contrary, human right groups and local civil society organizations claim that the Ethiopian government is forcefully relocating indigenous people from their ancestral land under the disguise of development while the true motive of the government is to expand agricultural investment in the region at the expense of the livelihood of the local communities. This research is an attempt to investigate the controversial Villagisation and large-scale agricultural investment in Gambella regional state by looking into the link between large scale agricultural investment and Villagisation. The main focus of the research is to examine the impacts of agricultural investment and Villagisation in Gambella region the light of the Ethiopian government policy in the region and the alleged development induced human right violations. The research is based on a qualitative method to capture data from 32 Villagisation sites using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. For the purpose of this study, 241 participants were selected from the study sites to participate in the research. Out of the 241 participants 75 of them were participated in in-depth interviews and the rest were included in focus group discussions and informal discussions based on the participants’ knowledge, views, experience and feelings associated with Villagisation and large-scale agricultural investment in the region. The findings of this study show no indication of involuntary Villagisation, no significant relationship between Villagisation and investment, or no evidence of previously occupied land being leased to investors. However, the study reveals that there has been serious lack of communication and misinformation from the government side in the process of planning and implementing the Villagisation program. Owing to this, suspicion and lack of trust between government officials and the local communities characterized implementation of the Villagisation project. / Geography / M.A. (Geography)