Resilient States, Engaged Societies & Legal Empowerment of the Poor RL Vol IX No 221 MMXIV

Resilient States,

Engaged Societies &

Legal Empowerment of the Poor:

Strategic Issues in Sustainable Development Management

Public Lecture - RL Vol IX No 221, MMXIV

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Professor of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms

https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

WMU Center for African Development Policy Research (CADPR) Conference,

The Challenges of Good Governance and Leadership for Sustainable Development in African States.

Western Michigan University August 14-16, 2014

Chapter from a forthcoming book by the author

“Resilient States, Enlightened Societies & Legal Empowerment”

Abstract

Beginning in the early 1990s, Africa has been experiencing a major ground swell of social, economic, cultural and political changes. Notwithstanding the remarkable successes, formidable challenges prevail as state institutions often are burdened by counter-productive incentives and constraints that outweigh or outlast efforts to ameliorate them. A combination of the Western prescription of the basic ingredients of ‘democratic tradition’ – elections, rule of law, economic, social and political governance have spun opportunities and threats to social stability and political sustainability. The knowledge gap the paper addresses is the nexus between good economic, political and social governance and sustainable development, augured on legal empowerment and the construction of democratic rules and institutions. Gaps identified in constructing the architecture for good governance are remuneration of civil servants, absence of checklist and framework for appraisal, lack of skills, attitudes and knowledge management systems. On the arrearage side for meritocracy, the lack of a system of publicly known and acknowledged public appointment at all levels of the civil service could be undermining of the career structure. Strategic entry points for reform are systematic review of objectives, outputs, activities and verifiable indicators for utility of civil service institutions. Furthermore, the need for a rights-based approach, knowledge management systems, code of conduct for the communities of practice, integration and mainstreaming, leadership capacity building, remuneration and career incentive, independent human quality development think tanks and education for democratic citizenship is imperative. The paper underpinned the hypothesis ‘the relative strength of political organisations determines the rules of the political game that are installed.’ Leadership (the power over discourse, ability to shape morality, to determine what is socially acceptable, culturally sound and politically uplifting, indeed, leadership is more than a job; it is a calling) has a pivotal role in installing the right mix of rules and institutions where citizens can make choices to ensure sustainable development.  

Key words: Sustainable Development Management, Resilient States, Engaged Societies, Legal Empowerment

Read here or  https://www.academia.edu/37092867/Resilient_States_Engaged_Societies_and_Legal_Empowerment_of_the_Poor_RL_Vol_IX_No_221_MMXIV

Democracy is Rule by the People: Liberal & Illiberal, Revolutionary, Social, Christian Democracy… RP Vol. XII No 248 - MMXVIII

Democracy is Rule by the People:

Liberal & Illiberal Democracy, Revolutionary Democracy, Social Democracy, Christian Democracy… What should nations in Africa such as Ethiopia choose to follow?

Public Lecture RP Vol. XII No 248 - MMXVIII

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

President, Lem Ethiopia: The Environment and Development Society

Professor, Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Abstract

Democracy is in retreat, so assert influential voices in the West. With the rise of populism and hate politics in relation to immigration, religion and colour. Three types of threat to democracy: coups, catastrophes and technological takeovers. While military coup will become less common, other forms of “coups” will constrain elected governments even while they remain formally in power. Further, there are many looming threats to civilisation, including environmental crises and nuclear warfare that could make democracy seem like an unaffordable luxury. Information technology, which has ensured that “we have become dependent on forms of communication and information-sharing that we neither control nor fully understand (RTWT in Demdigest, 2018). On the other hand Daniel Treisman (2018) augurs on the fact that while influential voices in academia and the media contend that democracy is in decline worldwide, using a variety of measures, the global proportion of democracies is actually at or near an all-time high; that the current rate of backsliding is not historically unusual; and that this rate is well explained by the economic characteristics of existing democracies.

Democracy is the active participation of politically conscious citizens with the requisite understanding of the meaning of democracy, as citizens of a political society in a polity endowed with political rules and institutions. It is a system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections and one that protects the human rights of all citizens and a rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens. The classical Athenian democracy was direct democracy. Hence, this lecture undergirds the fact that democracy has now many names - liberal, illiberal, revolutionary, social, and Christian…democracy. What is in a Name? The lecture asks what democracy is and what are the versions of democracy imposed on people in today’s world? Democracy creates losers as well as winners. After all, somebody has to pay the higher taxes it imposes and those who see their monopolies disappear tend to be not too happy with it. These tensions, especially when the losers are powerful enough to undermine democracy, are one major reason why the fate of many democracies has been precarious

Key words: liberal, illiberal, revolutionary, social, and Christian…democracy; democracy retreat, democratic development

Read here or https://www.academia.edu/37072617/Democracy_is_Rule_by_the_People_-_RP_Vol_XII_No_248_-_MMXVIII.pdf

Ethiopia - Think Piece on Debt Sustainability Analysis – A Cursory Critique RL Vol XI No CCC MMXVII

Ethiopia - Think Piece on Debt Sustainability Analysis –

A Cursory Critique & Frontloading Macro-Economic Policy to Stem the Tide of National Default & Economic Collapse

The Federal Democratic Republic Of Ethiopia - Staff Report for the 2016 Article IV August 30, 2016 Consultation—Debt Sustainability Analysis

Public Lecture - RL Vol XI No CCC MMXVII

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Professor of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms

https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Abstract

Ethiopia’s risk of external debt distress remains moderate, although external vulnerabilities have increased. Exports underperformed relative to projections, owing to a weak external environment; and the supply shock from the drought required scaled-up food imports. Despite strong remittances and curtailed public sector imports of investment goods, the current account deficit remains high. Reflecting higher indebtedness and low exports, indicators based on debt-to-exports ratios have deteriorated and (as in the 2015 DSA) breach one standard threshold in the baseline. Key considerations in maintaining the moderate rating are investment-based expansion in re-payment capacity financed by the external borrowing; and special factors that mitigate the risk of debt/currency distress episodes including capital controls, the large share of debt with official creditors with a significant concessional component, virtual absence of tradable debt instruments, and limited integration in global markets. The main risks are potential continuation of export underperformance and failure to rein in project-related imports and refrain from associated new non-concessional borrowing. Should these risks materialise, debt sustainability prospects would deteriorate materially? The projected baseline path of total public sector debt-to-GDP (external plus domestic debt) does not result in additional risks beyond those discussed for the external debt above. The recommendations augurs on the imperative to restart essential production activities in agriculture and industry, begin to rebuild the education and health sectors, support community-based infrastructure, activities and physical infrastructures. A number of legislative measures were taken that need to be revised with a view to promote the private sector investment. Other policy measures that need to be taken in order for the government to continue with the efforts of restructuring the socio-economic system of the country are liberalisation of major sectors including finance and managed restructuring of public sector.

Key words: Ethiopia, risk, debt sustainability, macroeconomic policy, finance reform, liberalisation, private sector

Countries that need monies so that they can provide health care and education and shelter to their people shouldn't have to repay debts that we knowingly lent to bad regimes long since gone; and all illegitimate debts - debts lent to these terrible dictators like Saddam Hussein, like Suharto, like Marcos - must also be cancelled. - Noreena Hertz

Read here or https://www.academia.edu/37065439/Ethiopia_-_Think_Piece_on_Debt_Sustainability_Analysis_A_Cursory_Critique_RL_Vol_XI_No_CCC_MMXVII.pdf

Eritrea & Ethiopia– An Historic Peace Breakthrough Heralding a New Era of Peace & Security in the Horn & the Gulf Public Lecture - RL Vol. XII No CCXCVII - MMXVIII

Nothing pains some people more than having to think.

The shape of the world today does not permit us the luxury of Soft-

Mindedness. Nations, societies or civilizations that continues to produce Soft-Minded

Humans, purchase their own spiritual death. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Eritrea & Ethiopia–

An Historic Peace Breakthrough Heralding a New Era of Peace & Security in the Horn & the Gulf

Public Lecture - RL Vol. XII No CCXCVII - MMXVIII

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Professor of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms

https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Abstract

As the fulminating war against the junta in Ethiopia was nearly over in 1991, the opening salvo of the Transitional Period Charter of Ethiopia recognised the self-determination of the Eritrean People that secured the Eritrean referendum and independence. Following the disagreement between the two nations, hundreds of thousands have died in the Ethio-Eritrean War. Thousands have died in politically motivated clashes and trying to leave both countries. Conflicts often serve as vital stimulus for affirmative and constructive change; they can and do cause major societal destabilisation. Hence, the necessity for a multidisciplinary approach and variety of collaborative strategies that seek to bring Eritrea & Ethiopia to agree on processes, strategies, structures and systems to narrow their differences to manageable roundtable discussions. Now that the two historically and culturally originated nations sharing nationhood for over 3000 year since the Axumite kingdom have decided to make peace, the knowledge gap of the study augurs on how to move form containment to détente and resolve the border, citizenship, economic and social issues in the current peace initiative.

Hence, the research questions to be addresses are the demarcation, according to the Algiers Agreement, what happens if the line runs through communities? What happens if the people in the border (Ethiopia and Eritrea) prefer the citizenship status quo they have now when they are told to belong to a different nation after the demarcation? How are their citizens going to participate in the peace processes? What alternative conflict management tools are going to be used if the two sides are to create lasting peace? The trajectories of conflict management point to issues of citizenship and the rules of the game, socio-economic axes of convergence, civil societies articulation of their vulnerability, entrepreneurship and shrinking natural resources base. Moreover, it addresses alternative conflict management, leadership requisites for peace, and concludes by protocols for analysis of conflicts and ensuring the continuity of a three thousand years common narrative and project the two nations into the 21^st century. Looking at the camaraderie of the Abiy and Esayas, it could suggests itself, and seems within reach, only to elude and appears readily practicable only to resist realisation.

Key words: Alternative Conflict Management – ACM, Economy, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Peace, Society,  

“The Eritrean people have today got the Chance to Express their true Love and emotion for Ethiopians,” Isaias “Love is greater than weapons. Love can win hearts, and we have seen a great deal of it here in Asmera today” - Abiy

Read here or https://www.academia.edu/37026907/Eritrea_and_Ethiopia_-_An_historic_peace_breakthrough_heralding_a_new_era_-_RL_Vol._XII_No_CCXCVII_-_MMXVIII

Emerging Challenges on Climate Change, Forestry and Sustainable Development RP Vol. IX No 3 - MMIX

Emerging Challenges on 

Climate Change, Forestry and Sustainable Development

International Conference on the occasion of the 30^th

Anniversary of Wondo Guenet Forestry College (20-21 March 2009)

Keynote address RP Vol. IX No 3 - MMIX

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

President, Lem Ethiopia: The Environment and Development Society

Professor, Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Summary

The major constraints to the forestry sector in particular and the live natural resources in general are: absence of a clearly defined forest policy, lack of strong and stable institution responsible for the forestry sector, lack of the past government's recognition of the seriousness of the situation and lack of a participatory approach in the implementation of social forestry programmes. Unless the above listed constraints are solved, there will be little hope for the forestry sector to bring about a significant and positive impact on the development and conservation of the country's forest resources. The suggested solutions and strategies to overcome these are formulation of appropriate and clear environmental and forest policies are a prerequisite for successful forestry development in Ethiopia. Key areas that require clear policy statement include the allocation of existing state forests into protection and production forests, increased autonomy for forest management institutes, incentives and rewards in promotion of private forestry development, and people’s participation and benefit sharing of local communities. The active participation of local communities is quite important in order to develop those forest areas that will be set aside for protection and production.

On climate change, BBC asserts that “Europe's leading insurance companies are now so worried by global warming; that they are likely to use their financial muscle to get governments and the world's oil companies to do more to cut greenhouse gas emissions. While this philosophical debate will continue to flourish in the corridors of the Ivy League, it is important to have national legislations such as the Bolivian one to support processes which empower rural people and their institutions, strengthen human and institutional capacity of community organisations to further the proliferation of communities of practice on indigenous think and improve their institutional capacity to adapt and develop new methods to collate and disseminate deepened knowledge, that must be translated into practical tools for endogenous sustainable local management of natural resources, by rural people themselves. Nonetheless, there is a caveat to it. Structural modernist constraints will indubitably continue to militate against possibilities of People to People driven sustainable development and may be reinforced by specific, more or less conscious uncertainty and complexity. As an interval between one regime of development ideology to another during which competing actors claim and contest for primacy of ideas, such transitions may be characterised by rules and forms of engagement that are in constant flux and may lead to any number of unpredictable alternative outcomes...

Key words: Forests, Environment, Climate Change, Energy, Popular Participation, Ownership

Read paper here or  https://www.academia.edu/36999824/Emerging_Challenges_on_Climate_Change_Forestry_and_Sustainable_Development_RP_Vol_IX_No_3_-_MMIX

Public Diplomacy Utility of Citizen Action on National Image Branding & advancing Shared Values among Nations RP Vol. IX No XV - MMXV

Public Diplomacy

Utility of Citizen Action on National

Image Branding & advancing Shared Values among Nations

PORAD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Addis Ababa, Sept 2005 (reviewed 2015)

Public Lecture Notes - RP Vol. IX No XV - MMXV

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Chairman, Lem Ethiopia, the Environment 7Development Society,  https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos 

Abstract

Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of states. Public diplomacy… deals with the influence of public attitudes on the formation and execution of foreign policies. It encompasses dimensions of international relations beyond traditional diplomacy; the cultivation by governments of public opinion in other countries; the interaction of private groups and interests in one country with another; the reporting of foreign affairs and its impact on policy; communication between those whose job is communication, as diplomats and foreign correspondents; and the process of intercultural communications. Why does Ethiopia need to undertake public diplomacy now? Now that Ethiopia is building The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam expected to produce around 6000 megawatts of electricity in the Blue Nile Gorge near the border with Sudan, Cairo is nervous that the waters of the Nile might be in jeopardy. In addition, the acquired brand of Ethiopia is that of bad governments that violate human rights, corrupt, famine, pestilence, violence and destitutions. True, the human rights norms and principles of stemming the tide of human vulnerability to violence are the bedrock of the modern notion of human security today. Hence, public opinion regarding the level of national government competency and fairness and citizen’s beliefs about government, and its perceived commitment to democracy, justice and human security are important. It measures the population's reputation for competence, education, openness and friendliness and perceived levels of potential hostility. For this reason, nation branding becomes an important instrument of competitiveness in a globalised world. Ethiopia needs a vibrant civil society that envisions a society that is committed to confronting bad Ethiopian images and able to reverse the current trend of human right allegation it faces. The solution is at hand, nonetheless, it enters politics and society in relatively abstract and plain form, yet pundits expect it to land itself to the immediate and vital African polity's socio-political experience. It suggests itself, and seems within reach, only to elude and appears readily practicable only to resist realisation. Hence, there is no more compelling raison d'être nor a mission-objective so utterly entrenched in the preservation and, even advancement of The Horn of Africa human-kind, than public diplomacy that can lead a social league to relate cogently to a peaceful region.

Key words: public diplomacy, diplomacy, nation branding, civil society, human rights, democracy, 

See paper here or https://www.academia.edu/36993141/Public_Diplomacy_-_Utility_of_Citizen_Action_on_National_Image_Branding_and_advancing_Shared_Values_among_Nations_RP_Vol_IX_No_XV_MMXV

Moulding a Plural & Enterprising Polity & Citizenry A Clarion call for a Resilient Ethiopianism -RL Vol XII No CCCXIII, MMXVIII

Moulding a Plural & Enterprising Polity & Citizenry

A Clarion call for a Resilient Ethiopianism

Public Lecture - RL Vol XII No CCCXIII, MMXVIII

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Professor of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms

https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Abstract

Students of the 1970s demanded land to the tiller and the equality of nations & nationalities, an ideological arsenal that informed the era and that continues to enlighten politics heretofore, undergirded the ubiquity of imperious economic policy, the stress on political organisation and the national question. Half a century later, a human rights crisis stemming from the protest against impunity is emergent, triggered by identity issues, mal governance, corruption and impunity of officials. The state must look into local elders (shimagiles) to contain the mayhem. Coupled with this, lodged in a highly turbulent region, new martial and security scenarios threaten the nation. Hence, while ethnic liberation has been accomplished, Ethiopianness must now take the front stage to defend and advance the nation. While nations & nationalities have realised their freedom, what is simmering on is exigency for pluralistic governance and the statutory veneration they deserve as Ethiopians. The transformation achieved so far also means citizens are becoming more affluent and civically refined, demanding to be heard. A collective psyche that puts so much trust in the trappings of hegemony must be supplanted by a social awareness that gives due respect to the highest moral and professional benchmarks in social life. State collapse that stems from a society, which is not based on strong institutional pillars and robust meritocracy in its public administration, is bound to fail. Thus, the merit system is consequential as a tried and tested route to success in constitutional self-governance. The mystique of power is closely linked to the lack of execution of constitutional rules and political institutions such as the coordinates of the state and pillars of civil society.

In advancing the economy, private sector, capital and liberalisation of the big state owned enterprises that would unleash untapped billions for development, are indispensable allies to employment and livelihood security. In its transformational stance, the state must focus on streamlining discretionary rule of officials, eliminate monopolies and the economic distortions that facilitate them and improve accountability. Finally, a requisite for pluralism is a spirit of tolerance and transparency - discords resolved in a spirit of respect for the views of citizens. Visionary leadership, political will and public support are vital to the state’s legitimacy that twigs from meritorious choices to district-cum-zonal officers that are in direct contact with the populace and reform of policy-making and governing institutions. Society’s watchdogs and responsible and independent media are indispensable assets in curbing corruption and pursuing good governance goals consistently and in varying contexts, but do so without resorting to a self-defeating, overly scripted and stage-managed political gambit. The protests and the apologies herald a new era of openness, albeit at a price!

Key words: Ethiopianism, meritocracy, pluralism, human rights, corruption, mal governance,

Updated 2018

See paper here or  https://www.academia.edu/36977537/Moulding_a_Plural_and_Enterprising_Polity_and_Citizenry_-_A_Clarion_call_for_a_Resilient_Ethiopianism_RL_Vol_XII_No_CCCXIII_MMXVIII