Ethiopian Review has asked scholars and prominent individuals what 10 things they would do immediately if they are elected president or prime minister of Ethiopia. The following is By Dr Solomon Negash. (Click here to read what others wrote.)

If I were the president or prime minister of Ethiopia I will do the following:

1) Term limit: quit my position after one term to establish the practice of term limit.

2) Food: promote a strategy to end the chronic famine. Establish a mechanism to feed everyone in Ethiopia.

3) Economy: move the agrarian economy from subsistence farming to large scale farming. Expand manufacturing, financial, and service industries. Increase exports.

4) Education: Increase the rigor, quality, and access of education.

5) National pride: increase national unity through common history and goal.

6) Dependency on foreign aid: become self sufficient.

7) Information Technology: open Internet access; use the Internet as economic facilitator and engine.

8) Health: increase basic health access.

9) Middle income family: develop a strategy to create a vibrant middle income family.

10) Diaspora: encourage an atmosphere of collaboration between Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia everywhere.

(Dr Solomon Negash is Associate Professor of Information Systems at Kennesaw State University,
Kennesaw, Georgia, USA. He can be reached at [email protected])