More on Meles Zenawi...who doesn't get praise..because people are interested in Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara and Magufulis...who want to stick it to western natioons.
...................................................
Meles Zenawi in 20yrs turned Ethiopia from being BOTTOM (last out of last) in every Index to one progressive nation that grew at double digit for decades.
...................................................
Personally I had the privilege of working with him for more than a decade, as Chief Economist of the World Bank: writing the report of the Commission for Africa, of which he was a key driving force; working together in the run-up to Copenhagen 2009 and at the conference; on the UN Secretary-General’s Group on Climate Financing in 2010; and, more recently, on ideas for a BRICS-led infrastructure development bank.
He was an outstandingly gifted, intelligent and committed man; that very rare person, a great mind and a great leader. - I believe Ruto has that rare combination - Kibaki had a great mind but was a poor leader - Moi was a great leader but empty mind - you need to move people (leader) in great well thought out direction (brilliance).
He was extraordinary and is irreplaceable. But what can and should, and I believe will, continue is his remarkable and practical vision of how to combine development on the one hand and environment and climate responsibility on the other.
Indeed, he saw so clearly that if we fail on one, we fail on the other, and far from being competitive, they support each other.
His lessons and legacy on environment and development provide fundamental guidance for Ethiopia, Africa and the world.
The author, Professor Nicholas Stern (Lord Stern of Brentford) is Chair of the Grantham Research Institute.