IDR/AAU
CADPR/WMU
EAF
“Eradicating
Absolute Poverty and Famine in Ethiopia, Through International Partnerships and
Development Policy Research by 2015”
International
Symposium on
Contemporary
Development Issues in Ethiopia
co-sponsored
by
Institute
of Development Research (IDR)
Addis
Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopian
American Foundation (EAF),
East Lansing,
Michigan,USA
Center
for African Development Policy Research (CADPR)
& The Department of Economics
Western
Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
The Ghion Hotel
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
July
11-12, 2003
TO:
All Prospective Participants of the International Symposium on Contemporary
Development Issues in Ethiopia, July 11-12, 2003, The Ghion Hotel, Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia.
From:
The Conference Co-Organizers:
Dear
Prospective Participants:
Attached
is the final Preliminary Agenda for the coming International Symposium on
Contemporary Development Issues in Ethiopia. The Program will also be posted on
the Internet in a few days, and can be accessed at: www.wmich.edu/hcenter
The
Preliminary Program features some 35 papers, selected from about 55 abstracts
received from an Open International Call for Papers posted on Internet over one
year ago. The 20 abstracts and papers were not selected for various reasons such
as failure to meet deadline, lack of quality, and/or lack of relevance to the
theme or the sub-themes of the Conference.
We
congratulate and thank those persons whose papers have been selected for their
effort and cooperation. A quick glance at the Program shows there are 10
sessions (8 concurrent &2 plenary), and a Special
Session on Famine scheduled on Saturday, July
12, 2003. There will also a Key note address. We believe this Conference has gathered some of
the best minds and researchers, in the social sciences and development studies
focused on Ethiopia. The Conference
is also a true partnership among Ethiopian scholars at the home-land and the
Diaspora. For us as co-organizers, this has been a true partnership that we hope
will continue. The Program is a result of genuine cooperative effort that
resulted from exchange of several draft programs by e-mail until we felt
mutually comfortable with the results.
Some of you
may be wondering about the objective and value of another conference on
Ethiopia. We would like to leave the evaluation of Program itself, but we would
like to clearly state the following post-conference goals:
1.
No later than September 30, 2003, we will prepare a post-conference report for
distribution among participants or post it on the Internet. 2. We intend to
publish the Proceedings of the papers jointly selected. The publication of the
Proceedings will follow after further joint review of papers presented at the
Conference. We anticipate to publish at least 20 the best papers. These will be
available with in one year of the date of the Conference, and later in a
published book form. 3. A Concise and non-technical Policy Paper will be
published on Famine and Food Security Issues, that synthesizes the last two
plenary sessions including the Special Session on Famine. This will be co-edited
by the Chairs of the relevant panels and/or the
co-organizers. This volume will be widely circulated to national or
Ethiopian and international policy makers, all participants, and others
concerned.
Last
but not least, the motto or the slogan that guides the coming and future such
bi-annual conferences is stated on the cover page of the Agenda as “Eradicating Absolute Poverty
and Famine in Ethiopia, through International Partnerships and Development
Policy Research by 2015”. The
year 2015 is not too far away. The Year is also the United Nations and other
International Development Agencies stated date to reduce poverty in Africa by
half or 50%. Some of you may think this is an ambitious and naïve goal for
Ethiopia with all its current development problems, and you may be right. There
are no simplistic and short-term solutions or quick fixes, to a problem that has
been building up over at least 30 years. But, we are motivated by the principle
of yichalal or it is possible to use the phrase of the star athlete Ato
Haile Gebresellasie.
Neverthless,
we are committed to hold such conferences on a bi-annual basis until 2015, or
until absolute poverty, hunger and famine can be eradicated from Ethiopia. We
shall see if we live long enough or “edme keseten”!Thank you all again, for
your cooperation and good work.
If you have questions or wish to make suggestions,
please feel free to contact us.
Professor
Sisay Asefa
Dr. Worneh Negatu & Dr. Getnet Alemu
Western
Michigan University,USA
Institute of Development Research, AAU, Ethiopia
IDR/AAU
CADPR/WMU
EAF
“Eradicating
Absolute Poverty and Famine in Ethiopia, Through International Partnerships and
Development Policy Research by 2015”
International
Symposium on
Contemporary
Development Issues in Ethiopia
co-sponsored
by
Institute of
Development Research (IDR)
Addis Ababa
University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopian
American Foundation (EAF), East Lansing,
Michigan,USA
Center for
African Development Policy Research (CADPR)
&
The Department of Economics
Western
Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
The Ghion Hotel
Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
July
11-12, 2003
The
Institute of Development Research (IDR) and The Ethiopian American Foundation (EAF)
in collaboration with the Center for African Development Research (CADPR) at
Western Michigan University (WMU), co-sponsor an International Symposium on
Contemporary Development Issues in Ethiopia. The symposium is co-coordinated by
Professor Sisay Asefa of Western Michigan University, and Dr. Workneh Negatu and
Dr. Getnet Alemu of Institute Development Research at Addis Ababa University
(AAU). The co-organizers of this partnership conference gratefully acknowledge
the support and cooperation of the participating individuals and the
co-sponsoring institutions.
The Institute of Development
Research (IDR) is a pioneer development research institution in Ethiopia, which
has been carrying out and promoting development and social science research
since 1972. Addis Ababa University (AAU) is the premier institution of higher
learning of Ethiopia.
Further
information on IDR can be obtained by contacting IDR Office at e-mail: BASIS.IDR@TELECOM.NET.ET
The
Ethiopian American Foundation (EAF) is a non-profit organization devoted to
support higher education and development in Ethiopia. Further information on EAF
can be obtained by contacting the EAF Executive Director at: 971 Daisy Lane,
East Lansing, Michigan, USA. 48823.
The
Center for African Development Research (CADPR), is an interdisciplinary social
science research center, established at Western Michigan University in 1997. It
is a part of the WMU International and Area Studies that collaborates with the
Department of Economics and other relevant academic department in conducting
development research focused on Africa. Further information can be obtained by
contacting CADPR Office at Haenicke Institute, Ellsworth Hall, WMU Kalamazoo,
MI, USA or Administrative Assistant: Rena.Lynema at e-mail: RENA.LYNEMA@WMICH.EDU