Assessing the Recovery Policy Measures of Industrial Sector in Tigray: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The overall purpose of this study is to explore the overall industrial activity in Tigray before the war, the role of EFFROT enterprises in the growth of Tigray industry, the complaints raised by Tigray intellectuals against the operations of EFFROT enterprises and propose policy solutions to repair the damage done by the forces of destruction on Tigray industrial sector. To investigate such kinds of concerns the researcher has applied an action research design with a qualitative approach. The researcher has employed a purposive sampling technique, focused synthesis, observation, and secondary analysis as methods of data collection and both discourse analysis and content analysis as methods of data analysis to conduct the study. The study indicates that devastating war launched by the coalition forces on Tigray was a long-standing policy of destruction designed by unitarist Ethiopians. It was a life-long intention of Amhara Centered Ethiopianists to erase the people of Tigray. The Genocidal war had caused immense death of human beings and comprehensive destruction of institutions vital to human existence. The main focus of the genocidal war was not only on human beings but also basic human infrastructures have been targeted— in addition to the mass killings, murders, and displacements, the economic and social infrastructure has also been severely damaged. Findings also indicate that EFFROT has the lion's share in the economy of Tigray. However, EFFROT institutions are not free from the political influence of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and are vulnerable to various social extravagancies. Moreover, findings confirm that all EFFROT companies established outside Mekelle (the capital of Tigray) were completely destroyed by the allied genocidal forces. As solution proposal for the comprehensive destruction on human and basic economic infrastructures, the researcher advises that Tigray must apply a public referendum using the principle of self-determination to the establishment of an independent state if the nation would have to find eternal relief and ensure its sustainable national existence; the government of Tigray must mobilize all its resources to ensure that the Ethiopian government and its partners pay proper compensation for all the damage and should hold accountable; the Government of Tigray must introduce a policy that fundamentally eliminates the political culture of party interference in EFFROT institutions, and institutional practices accustomed to family, localism and corruption; make EFFROT institutions provide free market opportunities to all relevant Tigrayan scholars to job responsibilities and professional services based on educational background, research performance or professional qualifications; make EFFROT institutions provide vast opportunities to local entrepreneurs, Tigrayan diaspora entrepreneurs, and foreign entrepreneurs in shares or another business manner to enter and become profitable.

Keywords:Tigray, Industrial strategy, industrial sector, manufacturing, structural transformation, industrial structure, industrialization, industrial policy

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/14-11-01

Publication date:June 30^th 2023