Meles outlines development policy

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Friday that although the country would not abandon its agriculture-led development plan, the Ethiopian government would in future attach more importance to industrial and urban development than it had done in previous years. He said one of Ethiopia's main priorities for achieving this goal would be to promote the inflow of foreign investment while sourcing new markets for Ethiopian exports, the pro-government Walta Information Centre reported on Friday. Meles admitted to local journalists that it had become evident that the government was not functioning as required, and announced a series of reform measures designed to correct these faults, Ethiopian radio reported. Meles said there would be a separation of political and civil service positions to enable professional government employees to carry out their duties free from political intervention, and that promotion within the ranks of the civil service would henceforth depend on efficiency and professionalism. Meles said preparations were under way to amend Ethiopia's penal and civil codes. He also said the government would embark on a new campaign to publicise its policies. "The dream to bring development in Ethiopia will be realised when the citizens are aware of the socioeconomic and political policies and directives of their country," he said.