World Bank officials praise poverty reduction plan

Describing Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's proposals to parliament last week as "dynamic, comprehensive, and impressive", senior World Bank officials have hailed Ethiopia for developing a programme with "good prospects for sustained growth and poverty reduction", a statement from the Bank released on Thursday said. World Bank officials, including Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist Nicholas Stern, Africa Region Chief Economist Alan Gelb and Director of the Human Development Department for the Africa Region Oey Astra Meesok, visited Ethiopia from 12 to 15 October. They discussed with government officials, the cabinet and Meles proposals presented to parliament, which contained strategies to strengthen rural development, capacity building, provision of infrastructure, private-sector development, and further decentralisation of decision-making to local governments. "Mr Stern congratulated the government for its comprehensive and impressive vision for reducing poverty in Ethiopia. [He] said the government's programme constitutes a dynamic and comprehensive strategy, with very good prospects of generating sustained long-term growth, and empowering the poor to participate in this process," the statement said. The Bank pledged to work with the government "on developing a strong and sustained support, focusing on infrastructure (especially roads), capacity building and rural development." Meles's new strategies, presented alongside extensive proposals to restructure the government, refocused government activities and created new ministries to oversee development of infrastructure, revenue collection, and merged planning, finance and economic development under one portfolio.