We have said that each Minister is fully responibile for his duties; nonetheless, when major policy issues require Our attention, Our Prime Minister, or, if nescessary, the Prime Minister and the concerned, shall bring them to Our attention. It is the duty of our Prime Minister to assure that the work of government is performed; but this does not in any way relive the Ministers of their individual responsibilities. To place all responsibility upon the shoulders of one individual while all others sit idly by and seek only to criticise and find faults is, in our era, to act contrary to the movement for the progress and advancement of the country.

If We ponder deeply on our situation today, We shall find that we lack for little the resources are available; the nation's youth are gaining knowledge and acquiring experience; it is only necessary that We resolve to work with determination and diligence. The socio-economic policy that we have adopted, a policy founded deep in Ethiopia's national heritage and tradition, is well calculated to assure the progress of the present and future generation; all that We require is co-operation, mutual assistance and the profound consciousness that We are fulfiling Ourselves in the discharge of Our planned and assigned responsibilities. This spirit, whether We term it communal, socialistic or the philosophy of the welfare state, is not new or alien to Ethiopia's way of life.

The problems consequent upon the growth and development of the nation, which have so significantly expanded Ethiopia's international responsibilities and obligations, have also to meet these mushrooming domestic and international obligations and demands. We must design and implement method which will, without wasteful duplication of effort, recognise proper principles of adminstration, maintain discpline, and respect and observe a strict division of labour.

We were aware of all of this. And during past decades, with exacting care and deliberate forethought, We laid down the broad guidelines for a greater future development.. And now, after the most detailed review and painstaking scrutiny of the advances achieved during this period, We have determined to introduce further innovations into the structure of the nation's administrative system, and We have set them forth in an Order which We are promulgating today. The changes which we have ordered will enable Us to devote our hours to assuring the execution of the highly important and urgent programmes designed to accelerate national growth and development and to meet international growth and development and to meet international obligations and commitments in which Ethiopia continues to enter.

This Order, which amends Order No.1 of 1943 defining the duties and responsibilities of the Prime Miniister and all other ministers, provides in substance as follows:

(1) that the Prime Minister shall be appointed by Us, and that he shall submit for appointment to us by Us the proposed members of his cabinet to head the Ministers of the Government;

(2) that the Minister shall be responsible to the Prime Minster;

(3) that the Prime Minister and the Minister shall be collectively responsible to Us and to Parliament in accordance with the provisions of the revised Constitution of 1955.

This fundamental reform of the structure of the national administration is founded upon the authority of article 27 of the Revised Constitution, which empowers us to determine, revise and modify the administrative structure of the government. It is designed to increase Government efficiency and enable Us to devote Ourselves exclusively to matters of high policy.

Each nation elaborate its programmes according to its customs and cultural heritage, suiting them to its own development aims, changing and improving its institution of Government as experience and the requirements of the times dictate. A particular structure of Govewrnment may be apt and practical for one nation; it may not be so for another. Each nation must determine, shape and adapt its governmental pattern to conform to its customs and its cultural heritage.

We have provided for this improved and reformed system of Government according to the ideals of modern Ethiopianism, building upon the accumulated experience of the years, preserving those elements of the past which have proven useful, modifying and improving those parts which call for change. We envisaged that future changes and improvments maybe introduced in the future as the need arises. When change is required, paramount in Our thoughts and those of Our officials will be the interests of the Ethiopian people.