Domestic Resource Mobilization in Ethiopia: An Assessment on Water Resources Mobilization

This paper reveals the effort of Ethiopian government to mobilize its domestic water resources to support the country’s development initiatives as a better alternative to reliance on foreign aid. To achieve this objective, the researcher employed qualitative methodology. Besides, data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Based on the data analyzed, the study revealed that the government of Ethiopia has been committed to utilize its domestic water resources to support the overall development initiatives in the country. Accordingly, it has constructed several small and medium-scale hydro dams, which are currently supplying above 2000 MW electric power. It has also three crucial hydro dams under construction; their completion is expected to bring substantial change to the people and development for the country. Moreover, there are several dams which are planned to be constructed in the future. The findings of the study also show that, the aforementioned dam projects have been, all in all, financed and coordinated by Ethiopian government and its people. The government relied on its domestic available resources than the declining support from international donors. Thus, the study concludes that Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM), mainly water resources, has been taken as a viable means of Ethiopia’s development since very early on, ahead of recent studies, which show the projected decline of foreign aid to African countries. The study calls for strong commitment of all the concerned bodies to effectuate the hydro dam projects under construction and future planned projects by sustaining their unlimited support to realize Ethiopia’s vision of becoming a middle-income country in the near future.