Diaspora Can Play Greater Role in Advancing Ethiopia's Tourism, Development: Scholar

Addis Ababa, July 22, 2026 (ENA) —  A prominent Ethiopian diaspora scholar has called on Ethiopians living abroad to play a greater role in promoting the country's tourism and development, saying their global networks, expertise and influence can significantly enhance Ethiopia's international profile.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ethiopian diaspora Emeritus Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam, widely known as Al Mariam, said Ethiopians abroad can contribute far beyond remittances by promoting the country's tourism, supporting infrastructure development and helping build a knowledge-based economy.

He said the diaspora serves as a strategic partner in Ethiopia's development by using its voice, professional experience and international connections to showcase the country's vast cultural and natural attractions.

"The first thing, of course, is that we have a voice," Al Mariam said.

"Some people might say I'm a very loud voice, and so diaspora interests will be heard and addressed, and they'll become part of the national agenda. I see the role of the diaspora essentially as a positive force."

He noted that while annual remittances, now approaching 7 billion USD, remain one of the diaspora's most visible contributions, equally important are the professionals returning home to share their expertise.

"A lot of the stuff that you see now in Ethiopia in terms of artificial intelligence, many of them are young people who are diasporas or have had experiences elsewhere and are back, and they're teaching here and things like that," he said.

Describing the Ethiopian diaspora as diverse in age, profession and background, Al Mariam said they are united by a common desire to contribute to the country's progress.

"We love Ethiopia. We want the best for Ethiopia. We want to come back and help our people and help ourselves," he said.

Al Mariam identified tourism as one of the sectors with the greatest potential to benefit from stronger diaspora engagement.

He pointed to Ethiopia's newly developed world class tourism destinations and the strategic position of Ethiopian Airlines as Africa's leading aviation hub, saying these provide unique opportunities to attract more international visitors.

"If we can find a way to keep them here maybe a day or two, then we can increase the number of tourists visiting," he said, urging Ethiopians abroad to promote the country's ecotourism destinations, cultural heritage and historical attractions through social media platforms and their personal and professional networks.

He also emphasized the importance of continued investment in infrastructure, particularly energy, as a foundation for sustainable economic growth.

"The driving fuel of the economy is power," Al Mariam said, praising Ethiopia's efforts to expand electricity generation through hydropower, wind, solar and natural gas projects.

According to him, reliable and diversified energy supplies will strengthen industrial development, improve tourism infrastructure and support the country's long term economic transformation.

Ethiopia has continued to strengthen its position as one of Africa's emerging tourism destinations through sustained investment in tourism infrastructure, heritage conservation and conference tourism.

Recognized by UN Tourism as one of the world's fastest growing tourism destinations, Ethiopia has recorded strong growth in international visitor arrivals while expanding its capacity to host major continental and global conferences.

Supported by its rich cultural heritage, unique natural attractions, improved tourism facilities and strong government commitment, the country's tourism sector is increasingly contributing to economic growth, job creation and its global image.