Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide stressed the need for higher education institutions to carry out extensive research activities to accelerate Ethiopia's economic development.
Addis Ababa University started today celebrating its Annual Research and Book Fairs Week with the main theme “Fostering Socioeconomic Development at the Core of Innovation and Entrepreneurship”.
The program was attended by members of the university community, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide, Planning and Development Minister Fistum Assefa and Minister of Innovation and Technology Belete Molla as well as other guests.
During the week, research findings and technological innovations will be presented, it was indicated.
At the opening ceremony of the event, Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide said; Ethiopia is achieving continuous economic growth by implementing homegrown economic reforms.
However, the progress is accompanied by many challenges he said, stressing the need for active participation of higher education institutions to address the challenges based on research.
“We have a lot of homework to do, especially in terms of increasing production and productivity,” he said, adding this will be solved through research.
To this end, he emphasized that higher education institutions should do more in generating ideas that can be used as policy inputs with the help of research.
From this point of view, Ahmed added that the research week organized by Addis Ababa University is very useful for disseminating ideas that can be used as policy inputs.
Minister of Planning and Development, Fistum Assefa said on her part that higher education institutions should play their part in the effort to addressing the challenges of job creation and food security in Ethiopia.
The Addis Ababa University should work on tailoring a sustainable solution for such problems using its extensive experience she said, adding the ministry is committed to work with higher education institutions to speed up the country's economy.
The President of Addis Ababa University, Professor Tassew Woldehanna said that the university is working to fins solutions to the various problems of the society.
He stated that currently the university is preparing to become autonomous, which will help it strengthen its activities.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency