﻿Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Ricardo Hausmann
Author-Email: ricardo_hausmann@harvard.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: Harvard's Growth Lab
Author-Person: pha552
Author-Name: Tim O'Brien
Author-Email: tim_obrien@hks.harvard.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: Center for International Development at Harvard University
Author-Name: Timothy Cheston
Author-Email: tim_cheston@hks.harvard.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: Center for International Development at Harvard University
Author-Name: Ibrahim Worku Hassen
Author-Workplace-Name: Center for International Development at Harvard University
Author-Name: Can Soylu
Author-Name: Kishan Shah
Author-Workplace-Name: Center for International Development at Harvard University
Author-Name: Nikita Taniparti
Author-Workplace-Name: Center for International Development at Harvard University
Author-Name: Pankhuri Prasad
Author-Workplace-Name: Center for International Development at Harvard University
Author-Name: Pablo Andrés Neumeyer
Title: Development in a Complex World: The Case of Ethiopia
Abstract: This research compendium provides an explanation of Ethiopia’s fundamental economic challenge of slowing economic growth after an exceptional growth acceleration — a challenge that has been compounded by COVID-19, conflict, and climate change impacts. Ethiopia has experienced exceptional growth since the early 2000s but began to see a slowdown in the capacity of the economy to grow, export, and produce jobs since roughly 2015. This intensified a set of macroeconomic challenges, including high, volatile, and escalating inflation. This compendium identifies a path forward for more sustainable and inclusive growth that builds on the government’s Homegrown Economic Reform strategy. It includes growth diagnostics and economic complexity research as well as applications to unpack interacting macroeconomic distortions and inform diversification strategies. Drawing on lessons from past success in Ethiopia and new constraints, this compendium offers insights into what the Government of Ethiopia and the international community must do to unlock resilient, post-conflict economic recovery across Ethiopia.
 The research across the chapters of this compendium was developed during the Growth Lab’s research project in Ethiopia from 2019 to 2022, supported through a grant by the United States Agency of International Development (USAID). This research effort, which was at times conducted in close collaboration with government and non-government researchers in Ethiopia, pushed the boundaries of Growth Lab research. The project team worked to understand to intensive shocks faced by the country and enable local capability building in the context of limited government resources in a very low-income country. Given the value of this learning, this compendium not only discusses challenges and opportunities in Ethiopia in significant detail but also describes how various tools of diagnostic work and economic strategy-building were used in practice. As such, it aims to serve as a teaching resource for how economic tools can be applied to unique development contexts. The compendium reveals lessons for Ethiopian policymakers regarding the country’s development path as well as numerous lessons that the development community and development practitioners can learn from Ethiopia.
Creation-Date: 2022-11
Keywords: Ethiopia
Number: 202
Handle: RePEc:glh:wpfacu:202
File-Url: https://growthlab.cid.harvard.edu/sites/projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/growthlab/files/2022-11-cid-wp-423-ethiopia-compendium.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf