Ethiopia - July 2007
PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS EVENT
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July 2007
The ACCA Ethiopia professionalism and ethics event was held in July 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa; the event was also an opportunity to honour Professor Johannes Kinfu and Ato Getachew Kassaye for the contribution they have both made to the accountancy profession in Ethiopia. The event was attended by Commissioner Ali Sulaiman, from the Anti—Corruption Commission (FEACC), ACCA CEO Allen Blewitt, ACCA members, family and friends of Professor Johannes and Ato Getachew, Government officials, CEOs of financial institutions, and the media.
Commissioner Ali Sulaiman gave the keynote speech, emphasising the issue of corruption. He said that it had become a major global threat to economic development, social justice, democracy, and - most importantly – to security and stability. ‘FEACC places a very significant premium on ethics,’ he stated. ‘Ethics should be the biggest component of accountancy and it ought to be part and parcel of the profession. Professional bodies such as ACCA can play an influential role in this regard.’ Commissioner Sulaiman also said that he was ‘delighted to see the ways in which ACCA is committing itself to promoting an ethical culture among its students and members through its new Qualification, professional training programmes, and high level public debates’. He noted that FEACC and ACCA have a lot in common and said that they should work in partnership to achieve their common objectives. Finally, he congratulated Professor Johannes and Ato Getachew, ‘the two Ethiopians who are most outstanding and respected professionals’, and said that the awards were ‘well deserved’.
ACCA CEO Allen Blewitt then spoke, saying that ‘professionalism and ethics are interconnected and each relies on the other to give it life. This is why they form the core of ACCA's new Qualification’. He stressed that the ethical duty of a professional accountant goes beyond the 'financial', and extends into areas such as corporate social responsibility. ‘Good governance and an active strategy in corporate and social responsibility are good for any business’, he said.
In conclusion, Blewitt underlined the fact that senior individuals have a significant impact on the whole culture of an organization, and that he was delighted to be able to recognize the contribution of Ato Getachew, also known as the father of the accountancy profession in Ethiopia, and Professor Johannes, the first Ethiopian to hold a doctorate in Business Administration, specializing in accounting and finance.
Related photographs
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Photo 1: ACCA Ethiopia professionalism and ethics event
Photo 2: ACCA Ethiopia professionalism and ethics event