International Conference on Contemporary Development Issues in Ethiopia
Western Michigan University, August 16-18, 2001
A Post-Conference Synopsis by Sissay Assefa (Revised October 5, 2001)
The Conference Highlights
The first International Conference on Contemporary Development Issues in Ethiopia, convened on August 16-18, 2001, on Western Michigan University Campus in Kalamazoo, USA. The conference attracted papers and presentations from scholars from all parts of the World. Participants (defined as presenters, session chairs and discussants) came from North America, Europe, Asia, Ethiopia and other African countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe. Most of the participants were Ethiopian scholars working in research and higher education institutions around the world. The conference planning process began over a year ago when the first open International Call for Papers and Participation was posted on the Internet. The conference featured 12 plenary sessions and 50 papers on the various dimensions of development focused on Ethiopia but with implications for other African states with similar conditions.
The papers during the first day also included contributions to the international workshop on “Managing Natural Resources for Sustainable Agriculture in African Highland Ecosystems,” that convened in conjunction with the Conference.
The three-day interdisciplinary conference dealt with three sub-themes of the general conference theme. The first day (August 16) featured papers on “Natural Resources, Agriculture and Food Security Issues.” There were five sessions that comprise of two sessions on Natural Resource Management Issues, one session on Agricultural Technology and Markets, a session on Food Security and Food Aid, and a roundtable session on “Key Research and Development Issues in Natural Resources and Agriculture.”
The first of two keynote addresses on the topic of “The State of Agricultural Research in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Ethiopia” was delivered by Professor Gebisa Ejeta of Purdue University during the first day.
The sub-theme of the second day (August 17) was “Human Resource, Economics, and Technology Issues,” which featured four plenary sessions that comprised to two sessions on human resource development Issues, one session on Macroeconomic Development and Private Sector Reform, and a session on Science and Technology for Development. The second key note address on the topic of “Financial Reforms in Pre-Emerging Economies of Africa: Lessons and Opportunities for Ethiopia” was delivered by the Professor Lemma W. Senbet of the University of Maryland-College Park during the second day.
The focus of the third and final day (August 18) of the conference was on “Institutions, Politics, and Diaspora Issues.” It featured three plenary sessions: a session on “Institutions, Organizations and Civil Society,” a session on “The State of the Ethiopian State,” and roundtable session on “The Diaspora and the Development of Ethiopia: Challenges and Opportunities.”
The conference concluded with a closing banquet featuring rising Ethiopian music artist Hana Shenkute at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo. Welcoming remarks to participants was made by Mayor Robert Jones of the city of Kalamazoo.
Conference Management and Support
The conference was made possible with the cosponsorship of the Ethiopian American Foundation (EAF) and the financial support of various academic offices and units of Western Michigan University (WMU). These included the offices of the President, Provost, Vice President of Research, Haenicke Institute for International and Area Studies, Department of Economics, and Center for African Development Research (CADPR), and the African Studies Center at Michigan State University. CADPR was the main coordinating academic unit. It’s implementation was managed by a team from a WMU Office of Conferences and Seminars which has provided an outstanding service in that regard. Refreshments for breaks and for Saturday lunch was catered by the local Theo and Stacy Restaurant of Kalamazoo, whose service was outstanding. Gojo Restaurant of Grand Rapids, Michigan, catered delicious Ethiopian food on Friday evening.
The conference was also a partnership academic event of WMU and EAF. EAF is a non-profit and nonpartisan organization registered in the State of Michigan. It is a membership organization whose aim is to support and enhance higher education and development in Ethiopia by bringing to bear the collective effort of Ethiopians, Ethiopian Americans, and American friends of Ethiopia. Individuals interested in membership and further information can directly contact EAF Secretariat at 971 Daisy Lane, East Lansing, Michigan or the executive director, Professor Assefa Mehretu, at: [email protected]
Membership form and information can also be obtained from the Treasurer, Professor Asrat Tessema, at: [email protected]
Conference Rationale & View of “Development”
The conference was motivated by the belief that development and poverty alleviation is the greatest challenge for Ethiopia in particular and Africa in general for the 21st century. Ethiopia, with a population of over 60 million, the second most populated country in Africa, is an important African state in spite of recent problems. Historically, Ethiopia took a key leadership role in the de-colonization of Africa and in fostering unity among African States. It was a cofounder in 1963 and is current home of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which is aimed at promoting economic unity among African states. Ethiopia is also home to important international and pan-African institutions such as United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The importance of Ethiopia to other Africans is best expressed by a leading African statesman of this century, former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa who said, “Ethiopia always has a special place in my imagination and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England, and America combined. I felt I could be visiting my genesis, unearth the roots of what made me an African.”
Development in the conference is viewed as a multidimensional process that requires interdisciplinary approach. It is a process that leads to the improvement of the quality of human life by providing access to resources, employment, income, education and health services. Development also includes the human need for freedom of expression and mobility of people and resources in search of opportunity, and the critical need for the institutional framework that makes this process possible.
Most of the sessions and papers of the conference were focused on Ethiopia, but with implications for the rest of Africa and other developing nations with similar conditions.
The conference was also based on the belief that development policy can be greatly improved and informed by objective examination of current realities and their historical evolution in Ethiopia, as well as the comparative experiences of other developing countries that have succeeded in alleviating poverty and achieving unity within diversity.
The challenge of development in Ethiopia and in many African states is the alleviation of poverty and the achievement of unity with diversity, democracy and just peace. The conference provided an academic forum of free expression. As was made clear in the final program booklet, the organizers and supporters of the conference do not necessarily share the views expressed in the various sessions of the conference.
Some Unique Features of the Conference
In the views of many participants, the conference was regarded as a huge success. Some of the contributing features to it’s included the following:
It brought together some of the best studies on Ethiopian development issues across disciplines. It was a product of an open International Call for Papers and Presentations. No attempt was made to pre-select participants or predetermine the agenda or it’s outcome.It was inclusive. It provided an independent and free forum, not captured by partisan politics, by attracting Ethiopian and other scholars and/or activists across ethnicity and political views to engage in a healthy and constructive discussion. Conference participants are those who have answered our open Call for Papers and Presentations. It is not easy to bring such a diverse group for constructive dialogue as those who follow contemporary Ethiopian affairs may be aware. But, we believe the Conference managed to do so and lived up to the very spirit of EAF, as an independent and nonpartisan organization.The conference passed no resolutions, since this was not it’s intent. However, it was evident at it’s conclusion that it raised a fresh level of energy and commitment among participants, which included the need to hold the next or the second international conference on Contemporary Development Issues, the date and the venue of which will be announced in the near future. Participants also committed to continue the constructive dialogue on development issues until that date.It was efficiently guided and managed in a friendly environment.
Some Comments Received from Conference Participants
The comments and evaluations received by e-mail from participants have been very positive. Positive comments were also received even from those who could not attend, but had keen interest in the outcome of the conference. The following are typical of the comments made by some of the participants:
Dr. Assegedech Hailemariam of Eastern Illinois University noted, “You did a fantastic job, and your staff was unbelievably helpful. I had an awakening experience and a sense of recommitment that we can help facilitate a positive change in our beloved country.” I felt proud that we have made something of ourselves, and that we did not leave our country for nothing. The diversity of fields and participants represented was impressive”
Professor Teshome Wagaw of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor noted, “You should be commended highly for having devoted so much thought and energy in bringing the conference to such height. Western Michigan University and its leadership should be commended for their generosity in making their facilities available. Please convey this sentiment to them once more on our behalf.”
Professor Evelyne Cudel of Michigan State University wrote, “I want to thank you so much for putting together this great conference. It was such a success for all of us. The primary objectives of the conference as they were described in the announcement have been outstandingly fulfilled.”
Dr. Berhanu Gebremedhin of International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Abeba, Ethiopia commented: “…This is my first time to see such a diverse group deliberate in such a civilized manner, at least during the last 10 years.”
Dr. Abebe Kebede of North Carolina A&T and State University in his “Reflections on Kalamazoo Conference,” posted on the Internet, writes “I had an opportunity to meet so many great thinkers and to reflect on the potential for a true development of Ethiopia. For me the thought of not seeing many of these colleagues again has put me into a sad mood. I want to tell them everything, I ran out of time and out of words. I am looking forward for a similar gathering. I hope and pray that I will see them again.”
Dr. Habte Woldu of the University of Dallas, Texas commented, “Indeed, it was a great conference and I would like to congratulate you for the success and the quality of papers as well as for creating a friendly but merit based academic conference.”
Dr. Helmut Kloos of the University of California, San Francisco wrote, “I want to thank you for organizing the Conference, which I greatly enjoyed since it presented new ideas and data and also gave me a chance to meet some old friends and colleagues and make new friends.”
Professor Assefa Mehretu of Michigan State University, in a letter addressed to WMU President wrote, “I would like to thank you individually and your institution in general for having hosted one of the best conferences I have been to in my long academic career. Overall, this was tremendously successful conference which has established a standard by which others will be measured”.
The above is a selected sample. There were several other participants who made equally positive comments both orally and in writing. Conference evaluations also included some critically constructive suggestions and comments for the next conference. These included the need to increase the time allowed for each presentation and the need to go beyond the academic community and include presentations and papers by development practitioners from NGOs and business communities. These and other constructive suggestions will be seriously considered in the planning process of the next conference.
What is Next?
The next step is to publish the output of the conference. This will be a two-step process. First, all of the abstracts of papers submitted will be published both in hard copy and posted on the Internet. We will also include the e-mail of author(s) in these abstracts so that persons interested in particular papers can contact them directly. Those interested can look for them on the conference web sites by the end of October at the latest. This will be followed by the publication of the full papers in conference proceedings. We will try to make the proceedings available by October 30, 2001. Second, the proceedings will be published both in a booklet and/or CD form. Both the abstracts and the proceedings will be published as submitted by their author(s). The proceedings will be copyrighted to WMU/CADPR and the EAF with all rights reserved by the author(s). Those interested to receive specific papers before the conference proceedings become available must directly contact the individual authors as noted earlier. The proceedings can be purchased with a fee that covers publication costs. Any receipt over and above the cost of production will be donated to the EAF.
In a previous meeting, the EAF Board has committed itself to undertake such a conference on a biannual basis. At it’s recent meeting of September 29 in Canton, Michigan, the EAF Board decided to convene the Second International Conference on Contemporary Development Issues on August 1-2, 2003. The Board discussed the merit of holding the second biannual conference and decided to keep the same venue at least for the second biannual conference. The Board also agreed to explore the idea of holding the Third International Conference in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia in 2005.
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This synopsis was prepared by Professor Sisay Asefa, Conference Program Chair. Any inquiries and questions about it’s content can be addressed to him at: [email protected]
Note: The detailed conference agenda can be accessed on the Internet and/or a copy of the final conference program can be obtained from CADPR office at WMU attn: Ms. Rena Lynema at: [email protected])
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