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The Nile River has been both an engine of development and a cause of controversy among its riparian states for millennia. This paradox took on an international dimension with the inception of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Using a qualitative research method, this paper investigates the GERD controversy and the role of a benefit-sharing approach in the Nile Basin. The dam negotiations have been hampered by unjust colonial treaties, the hardline interests of Egypt and Ethiopia, politicisation, uncertainty about the consequences of the dam’s use and lopsided third-party intervention. The paper argues that the adoption of a benefit-sharing approach in the basin can sustain the Nile ecosystem, promote regional peace, increase water flow and decrease unnecessary expenses through modest intraregional cooperation. The resolution of the Nile Basin conflict thus relies on identifying the potential of the basin and on integrated cooperative frameworks adopted by the technocrats of its riparian states and international experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As various studies have uncovered, a significant number of states in Africa remain in abject poverty and are underdeveloped, long after the end of colonialism. These degrading economic conditions are further reinforced by authoritarian political cultures, unending instability and civil wars. The few exceptions include Botswana, South Africa and Mauritius. To stimulate national economic and social progress, African countries have experimented with different development models. In this paper, we compare the developmental state experiences of Ethiopia and Mauritius. A qualitative research approach was used, and the study is based entirely on an analysis of secondary data sources. The analysis proceeds by using comparative techniques. The findings of the study reveal that though the employment of the developmental state model resulted in growth in both Ethiopia and Mauritius, the way in which they instituted key policies and institutions of the developmental state has been quite different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is witnessing new twists and turns both in its domestic and foreign policy domain of late with the incumbent government in power adopting political and economic reforms aimed at fostering changes to bring about development. This has invariably provided an opportunity for India to consolidate its relationship with Ethiopia further. The new domestic political and economic reforms and the friendly gestures that the present government under Abiy Ahmed has made with its neighbors has drawn the attention of the international community to the extent of awarding him with Nobel Peace Prize. Such reform measures of Ethiopia have given India with wide scope to engage itself constructively and extend political and economic support in areas where both countries stand to gain. India's active engagement with Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular is all the more important given the China factor that has been competing with other countries of the region. This paper describes the domestic political developments in Ethiopia during the post Cold War era and its struggle to maintain the intricate ethnic balance that has characterized its nation-building process by tracing it from the days of King Haile Selassie I. It further analyzes the steps taken by the government to remove obstacles to peace and development through adopting economic liberalization measures and foreign policy changes. These are discussed in a chronological manner starting with a conceptual framework and using predominantly secondary sources and relying on personal observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between Africa and the developed world has been a subject of much discussion over the years. Recently, however, there has been a lot of controversy around China's activities in Africa. Several criticisms have arisen alleging the exploitation of Africa by China. This study set out to examine China's activities on the African continent with a focus on Ghana and Ethiopia to clearly reveal the various sides of the argument and put them into perspective. The study also sought to establish whether a new scramble is occurring in Africa, with neocolonialist strategies. The study relied on the realist theory to understand China's intentions regarding its activities on the continent and on neocolonialism to explore any incidence of a new scramble. Secondary sources were employed to collect data for analysis. The study found that although some of the activities of China on the continent were questionable, they have been partially beneficial to the continent. Africa is not as vulnerable as perceived but has the capacity to leverage some of its resources to foster its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political parties and their internal working policy and pattern of interactions have a profound impact on the operation of federations and the character of intergovernmental relations (IGR). By using the Ethiopian party system as a case study, this article aims to explore the impacts of party ideology, structure and style of functioning on the overall operation of a federation and the (de)institutionalisation of intergovernmental relations. It shows that the party structure, internal practices and ideological conviction of two parties—the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the Prosperity Party (PP)—have shaped and reshaped the functioning of the Ethiopian federation and the dynamics of vertical and horizontal relations. At the same time, constitutional and IGR principles have been sidelined. There is a need to entrench stable and formal IGR frameworks for negotiation, the exchange of information and co-operation between federal and sub-state institutions. Reducing excessive reliance on the party line is essential to optimise the regularity, continuity and effectiveness of the interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary world, enormous changes and improvement are taking place in governance practices throughout the world. Democratic decentralization, in particular, has become a serious concern in many countries, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Successive Ethiopian governments have introduced and implemented modern governance system. This happened despite the existence of indigenous institutions which have been playing an indispensable role in guiding the social-political lives of the societies, especially for the rural area communities in filling the gap of the formal state institutions. Given the limitations of modern institutions, relying on traditional institutions could be an attractive option to improve local governance. This is because, when compared with state institutions, traditional institutions do not need to build from the beginning. At the local level creating new and efficient state institutions can be difficult and costly and time-consuming. Accordingly, the qualitative research methodology was employed in the study for its appropriateness to investigate indigenous institutions and local governance by collecting practical evidence from Sidaama province. Eventually, the findings of the study revealed that properly employing indigenous institutions are good mechanisms for improving the performance of formal local governance institutions in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]