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Ethiopian Minister on Objective of Revolutionary Democracy
A senior Ethiopian official said that the primary objective of revolutionary democracy being pursued by the Ethiopian government is to build a free market economy, Ethiopian News Agency reported Sunday in Addis Ababa.
Girma Birru, minister of Economic Development and Cooperation, was quoted as saying that revolutionary democracy should not be confused communism, and revolutionary democracy which takes into account the objective reality of the country was the only option to bring about meaningful economic transformation and social progress.
He described as "inappropriate and grave mistake" the attempt by some groups to liken revolutionary democracy with communism, saying that both the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank do not agree to the idea that capitalism could not develop in a situation where land is owned by the government and the public.
Girma said that revolutionary democracy ensures the rights of farmers to own rent and transfer as inheritance.
He defended Ethiopia's policy of public ownership of land, saying that the system was in the best interest of the Ethiopian peasantry, who constitutes by far the largest population.
Earlier, the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has reaffirmed that its economic objective remains to be the establishment of a capitalist economic system.
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