Solomon Gebru - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Solomon Gebru

EPPPL, 2022

Owing to the increasing demand for social and public services and the inability of governments to... more Owing to the increasing demand for social and public services and the inability of governments to satisfy these demands, the need for introducing public-private partnerships (PPP) has recently been remarkably increasing in developing countries. This was not an exception in Ethiopia. Thus, this study was designed to examine whether Ethiopia had the necessary institutional, legal, and policy frameworks for PPP; to explore if there were existing PPP projects and determine their typology, as well as identify potential PPP areas and the associated challenges. To this end, a qualitative exploratory design was employed. Data were generated through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions from several federal and regional institutions and municipalities and through document analysis and literature review. The study reveals that Ethiopia has recently developed PPP specific policy, legal and institutional framework, albeit there is a vast capacity deficit from the government side to implement complex PPP contracts. Although not yet well institutionalised, there had been some PPP-oriented contract agreements in Ethiopia before the PPP-specific framework was developed in 2018. They include contracts for utility billing, security and cleaning, urban greenery, waste disposal, and the construction of condominium houses. Most notably, the government has recently awarded PPP-based concessions to foreign companies to develop energy plants and several projects are already in the pipeline. However, implementation is still at an initial stage. Some recommendations have been forwarded so that Ethiopia could get the most from PPP without harming its national interest and crowding out the local private sector.

Koninklijke brill nv, 2020

This chapter examines the actors involved, the purpose, orientation, types, mechanisms, consequen... more This chapter examines the actors involved, the purpose, orientation, types, mechanisms, consequences and challenges of external accountability in the Ethiopian public higher education. Data were generated from literature review, relevant government documents and interviews conducted with key informants at several federal institutions that have a stake in the accountability of public higher education institutions (HEIs). The analysis shows that there is a trend towards result-oriented accountability in the sector and Ethiopian public HEIs are accountable to multiple external stakeholders, particularly through political, administrative and academic types of accountability. The study also demonstrates that although the external system of accountability utilizes various types, mechanisms and consequences of accountability, it is characterized by a number of challenges. Several recommendations are forwarded to minimize the challenges and to enable Ethiopian public HEIs attain their mission.

Journal of Educational and Behavioral Sciences, 2020

Democratization and higher education (HE) massification, nations' desire to cope up with the glob... more Democratization and higher education (HE) massification, nations' desire to cope up with the global knowledge-based economy, accompanied by the position of powerful global neoliberal forces and regional organizations have made HE institutional diversity a growing common phenomenon across the world. This paper tries to elaborate the various notions related to and the rationale for as well as the driving and inhibiting factors, and the impacts of HE institutional diversity based on the pertinent literature. The discussion shows that, although the driving and inhibiting factors vary from country to country, there are some communalities. Also, it demonstrates that, though HE institutional diversity has several benefits such as increasing access and promoting excellence, it can pose challenges such as reinforcing socioeconomic inequality, fostering institutional isomorphism and fragmentation of coordination in the sector unless properly managed. The paper concludes by raising some important issues that deserve attention by policy makers and researchers alike.

Leuven University Press, 2020

World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jul 29, 2015

In Africa, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) were initially established to tackle the economic... more In Africa, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) were initially established to tackle the economic challenges of the continent. However, overtime, they expanded their mandate to deal with the security threats of the continent such as terrorism. In fact, the fight against terrorism has been internationalized following the September 9/11 terrorist attack in the U.S.A. Since then, RECs have been giving considerable attention to preventing and combating terrorism in their respective regions. Similarly, IGAD has been involved in preventing and combating terrorism. So far, however, little has been done with regard to what IGAD has performed in fighting terrorism. Therefore, this study was intended to describe and analyze the legal and practical activities carried out by IGAD in its fight against terrorism in the region general and in Somalia in particular. Both descriptive and analytical methods were employed and data were analyzed through qualitative approach. Finally, based on the findings, the study argues that, instead of overreliance on hard power as a means of fighting terrorism, IGAD should invest more on the political and socioeconomic problems of its member states so as to address the root causes.

Recognizing the magnitude of the global gender gap and its unbearable consequences, the UN includ... more Recognizing the magnitude of the global gender gap and its unbearable consequences, the UN included the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment as one of its 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), declared in 2000. Ethiopia adopted the MDGs and has been incorporating them into its consecutive Core Strategic Polices, with the commitment to realize them by 2015. This study was intended to see whether Ethiopia is on track to meet the globally adopted goals by the deadline, with particular reference to gender and to analyse the achievements Ethiopia has made so far and the challenges ahead in achieving gender equality. Both descriptive and analytical methods were employed and a triangular approach was used in analysing data. The status of gender gap in Ethiopia was analysed using the Global Gender Gap Index. The study found that though Ethiopia may not be able to achieve the gender related MDG by the deadline; it has made a significant progress in reducing gender disparity ...

Inspired by the success stories of the East Asian development, achieved under authoritarian state... more Inspired by the success stories of the East Asian development, achieved under authoritarian state-lead development, otherwise known as developmental states(DSs) and informed by the need for democratic governance, the incumbent government of Ethiopia is one of few governments that has expressly committed itself to building a democratic developmental state (DDS), particularly since the early 2000s. However, little is known about what has been done in search of building such a state as per the promise. This book examines the attempts that have been made in search of building DDS in post 1991 Ethiopia, and identifies the associated challenges. The common defining features of DSs identified by the 2011 Economic Report on Africa and the simultaneity theory (which suggests economic development and democracy can go in tandem), were used as lenses through which the analysis was conducted. And, we found that, though still at an emerging stage, Ethiopia depicts the common defining features of ...

Responsibility of Higher Education Systems, 2020

European Scientific Journal, Sep 18, 2014

European Scientific Journal, Jun 29, 2014

Ethiopia introduced multi-party system following the 1991 regime change. Consequently, dozens of ... more Ethiopia introduced multi-party system following the 1991 regime change. Consequently, dozens of political parties have been established. However, little has been done with regard to the degree of programmaticity of Ethiopian Political Parties (EPPs); the nature and the type of the party system they are operating. Hence, this research was intended to analyse the level of prorammaticity and typology of EPPs, and the nature and type of the party system that are operating. The study was designed to answer whether EPPs and the party system they are operating are programmatic. Both descriptive and analytical methods were employed and data were analyzed through qualitative approach. The study found that although with a varying degree, major EPPs have programmatic platform. Nevertheless, since all EPPs have been using ethnicity as the main means of political support, and non-of them emerged out of pre-existing civil society organizations, Ethiopia's party system is not yet programmatic. In terms of the number of parties operating, Ethiopia's party system is best characterized by dominant party system but also with certain features of one-party system. The study argues that Ethiopia should give special attention to depoliticizing ethnicity sooner than later, including by reopening its constitution for discussion and revisiting its electoral and political parties' laws.