"China's contribution to Ethiopia's development is crucial" – Visit to Sema Tirunesh, Member of the Standing Committee of Ethiopia's ruling party and Deputy Governor of Amhara Region

【Reporter Connection】

Wang Chuanjun, reporter of Guangming Daily in Addis Ababa

"Ethiopia has maintained rapid economic development for more than a decade, and is still one of the fastest growing countries on the African continent, and the capital Addis Ababa has become one of the most modern cities in Africa, all of which are inseparable from the help of China, and the Chinese government, enterprises and people have made great contributions to the development of Ethiopia."

A few days ago, in Addis Ababa, Dr. Sema Tirunesh, member of the Standing Committee of Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party and executive deputy governor of Amhara Region, told reporters. After three years of doctoral studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, Sema and journalists from China are at first sight, and there is no distance between the one-hour interview.

The picture shows the headquarters building of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention built with the assistance of China in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo by Wang Chuanjun/Guangming Pictures

"I am destined to have a relationship with China"

When talking about her study abroad experience in China, Sema told reporters: "I am destined to have a relationship with China. When I chose to pursue my PhD, I had two choices: the United States and China. Some ambassadors even personally persuaded me to go to their country for a doctorate, but I finally chose China's University of International Business and Economics. This is my fate with China. ”

Affected by the new crown epidemic, Sema studied in China for a year and a half, and the remaining one and a half years of her studies were completed in Ethiopia through online classes. Before the start of the doctoral program, Saimaa invited his supervisor, Professor Guo Xiaoling, to visit Ethiopia to visit the Avasha Industrial Park and the Oriental Industrial Park to learn about the operations of Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia.

Sema believes that his doctoral dissertation is very meaningful, mainly as a comparative study of the social responsibility practices of Western and Chinese companies investing in Ethiopia. Through the study, the study found that the practice of social responsibility by European and American enterprises in Ethiopia is more symbolic, it is a marketing model, it is a story based on the media, it is part of corporate brand building, and it does not really benefit the local community. In practicing social responsibility in Ethiopia, Chinese enterprises have truly served the local community, such as building roads.

"The reason why I decided to study this topic is because most experts and scholars focus on the impact of Western multinational enterprises on global social development, and few scholars have studied the impact of multinational enterprises in emerging economies, including China, on global social development, especially the positive role of corporate social responsibility in the development of communities in investment countries." "I came to the conclusion that Chinese companies contribute much more to the Ethiopian community than Western companies," Sema said. "If Chinese companies investing in Ethiopia develop better and better, they will also drive the local community to develop better and better. Chinese enterprises investing in Ethiopia have achieved a win-win situation with the local socio-economic development. For example, Chinese companies investing in Ethiopia are open-minded and willing to share their technology and experience with local employees.

When asked how studying in China has influenced her career, Saimaa said, "Before I went to China for my PhD, I was a special assistant to the president. After completing my PhD, I served as Executive Deputy Governor of Amhara Region, Chairman of the Amhara Region Prosperity Party, and member of the Standing Committee of the Ethiopian ruling Prosperity Party. ”

"The Belt and Road Initiative has brought China-Ethiopia closer economic relations"

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. When talking about the role of the "Belt and Road" construction in Ethiopia's economic and social development, Sema said that the Chinese government, enterprises and people have played a pivotal role in the process of Ethiopia's economic and social development. Over the past 15 years, Chinese companies have built railways, aided hospitals, and especially built industrial parks, contributing greatly to Ethiopia's infrastructure. China's support and assistance to Ethiopia's economic and social development is not small, but huge.

For example, Addis Ababa, where 15 years ago had narrow streets, has now become a beautiful city and one of the continent's major metropolises. The changes here are inseparable from Chinese investment and the construction of Chinese enterprises. The Chinese government has also built a lot of infrastructure in Ethiopia, such as the Tiluness-Beijing Hospital. Walking into Amhara and Olomia regions, you can also see many roads, bridges and other infrastructure built by Chinese companies. The Belt and Road Initiative has promoted China's investment and construction in Ethiopia and made economic relations between China and Ethiopia increasingly closer.

Sema said 70 to 80 percent of Ethiopia's imports and exports are linked to China. Fifteen years ago, there was only one flight between China and Ethiopia, and now there are direct flights from Ethiopia to Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Most of Ethiopia has Chinese companies, and even many remote and backward areas have Chinese companies. Of the foreigners in Ethiopia, 60 to 70 percent are Chinese. During the reign of the last emperor, Haile Selassie I, Ethiopia maintained close diplomatic relations with the United States. With the end of the reign of Hyle Selassie I, Ethiopia established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and then China. "In the next few years, China's diplomatic relations with African countries will further flourish. During my study in China, I saw many Africans working and studying in China, which fully shows that China's exchanges with African countries are constantly deepening. ”

"Learn from China's experience" to formulate a development model for Ethiopia

Regarding Chinese-style modernization, Saimaa pointed out that China has a political system with its own characteristics, and China's political system is adapted to China's development needs. There is no universal development model in the world, and each country must formulate its own political system and development model according to its own national conditions. Just as Ethiopia cannot copy the American model, Ethiopia's political system must be based on Ethiopia's socio-economic development.

"Actually, we are also learning from the Chinese experience. For example, the Prosperity Party has developed Ethiopian development goals and models that are not dependent on any country, including the West. This is a development model that we have formulated on the basis of learning from China's experience in accordance with Ethiopia's national conditions. ”

Sema believes that one of the reasons why China's system is full of vitality is that it has a pragmatic character and always keeps pace with the times, which is a major reason for China's development success. He stressed that China does not impose its own model on other countries, which is completely different from the practice of some Western countries. Some Western countries consider their model to be the best and prefer forced export. Most importantly, China can understand that the Ethiopian model is in line with the development needs of Ethiopia, which is crucial to the development of bilateral relations between China and Ethiopia.

(Guangming Daily Addis Ababa, July 7)

Guang Ming Daily(2023-07-08-08 edition)

Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily