News From Ethiopia

Improving Justice System Brings About Rapid Economic Development: Minister

Addis Ababa, March 22, 2002 (ENA): The independence of the judiciary could enable to bring about rapid economic development and social progress in the country, Minister of Capacity Building said yesterday.

Tefera Waluwa said sustainable r economic development and building a democratic culture in the country are unthinkable without giving leverage to the justice system.

Addressing a seminar attended by members of the judiciary, chief administrators of states and cabinet members, he said the present justice system in effect has been a stumbling block to development and social progress.

He said pertinent institutions should work in cooperation with members of the judiciary to improve the legal system in the country.

The efforts exerted to build the capacity of other institutions must go hand-in-hand with the justice system, he said.

Minister of Justice Harika Haroye on his part said studying the causes of crimes and establishing prevention mechanisms should be given attention, adding that preparations have been underway to establish a council at a national level that could facilitate ways to prevent crimes.

Participants of the seminar said training and capacity upgrading programme ought to be organized for judges as part of the activities undertaken to improve the judiciary.

The seminar which is presided over by Tefera Waluwa has also discussed the reform project on the administration of courts.

The reform project being undertaken in cooperation with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) mainly focused on the Federal Supreme Court with a view to
strengthening the institutional structure and administrative capacity of the federal courts.

Participants of the three-day meeting are also scheduled to discuss capacity building on urban administration and tax reform programmes.

Meanwhile, an official says the justice system reform programme is one of the priority areas the government has embarked upon as part of efforts to bring about rapid development and strong democratic culture.

Mandefro Belay, Programme Director with the Ministry of Capacity Building, told the participants that the reform programme was aimed at providing the grass roots with speedy justice by invigorating the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.

He indicated the need to launch integrated efforts to bring about the desired improvement in the country 's justice administration.

The reform programme includes activities creating a national justice information system, improving quality of training for legal professionals and raising the capacity of the judiciary, among other sub-programmes, he said.

About EATIC
The Ethio-American Trade & Investment Council (EATIC - www.eatic.org) is a non-profit, non-partisan, tax exempt membership organization of corporations and individuals dedicated to strengthening and facilitating trade and investment between Ethiopia and the United States of America. The Council believes that it can best accomplish this goal through education, focusing on broadening the respective knowledge of various social customs, cultural traditions and economic climate of both countries.

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