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20 June 2022
UN Secretary-General Message on World Refugee Day
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14 June 2022
Weeklong activities in Ethiopia to celebrate World Environment Day 2022
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02 June 2022
United Nations Report launched in Ethiopia, urges cooperation between Volunteers and States in Africa
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Ethiopia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
These are the goals the UN is working on in Ethiopia:
Story
17 June 2022
Weeklong activities in Ethiopia to celebrate World Environment Day 2022
World Environment Day (WED), celebrated yearly on 5 June, is the United Nations flagship day to promote worldwide awareness and action towards the environmental agenda in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. In Ethiopia, WED 2022 activities were led by the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority (EEPA) and supported by UNEP Addis Ababa Liaison Office (UNEP AALO). With this year’s campaign slogan, Only One Earth – focusing on Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature, a range of activities were organised between 3-6 June in both Addis Ababa and Jijiga.
An exhibition was launched between 3-6 June at Friendship Park in Addis Ababa, promoting and increasing awareness of interventions in Ethiopia that contribute to environmental sustainability and climate action. It displayed technology, products, services, and initiatives from actors such as the government, national organisations, the private sector and SMEs, to promote dialogue and cooperation between diverse stakeholders and create awareness as well as inspire action among the public.
A national conference was organized alongside the exhibition, including a set of panel discussions in Addis Ababa, with parallel sessions held in Jijiga. Keynote speakers from government, international and national organisations, academia, and national media were represented – discussing topics including Early Warning Systems and Mitigation Measures in Ethiopia; the role of CSOs, media, women and youth in environmental protection and management in Ethiopia; and the social and economic importance of forests.
At the national conference session in Addis Ababa, a keynote speech delivered by a.i. Head of UNEP Addis Ababa Office, Dr. Margaret Oduk, set the tone for the day – highlighting the urgency of the triple planetary crisis, and that the progress Ethiopia has made in this field needs to not only be maintained and scaled-up, but ultimately become the basis for interventions and policy for years to come.
The sessions of the conference held in Jijiga included two panel discussions, a World Environment Day Marathon, tree planting and waste picking. The activities were kicked off by H.E Frenesh Mekuria, Deuputy Director General at the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, highlighting the climate and environmental challenges Ethiopia face and urging everyone to contribute to restoring and protecting nature.
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Story
31 May 2022
Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons
Nimu Mohammed, 45, and a mother of nine children, was forced to displace to Kebrebeyeh District, Somali Region, as the effects of the severe drought in the region continued unabated. Nimu lost her entire livestock and had left with no other livelihood options when her village did not get rain that was essential for her livestock and members of the communities like Nimu.
“After losing all my livelihoods, I decided to leave my village (Shekoys District) with my three younger children, leaving behind other six. Members of the community in Kebrebeyeh welcomed us. They are also sharing with us what they have. However, the challenges of the drought are beyond the capacity of our host community. We need food, water and other essential supplies immediately. We also want to have long-term solutions. We don’t want to live like this.”
Another internally displaced woman, Dalbile Mohammud, who took a shelter in Gabicas IDPs. Dalbile,50 years, a mother of three, didn’t know what the future holds for her and her families. “We are struggling here with all sorts of challenges, including inadequate supplies of food and non-food items”. While Dalbile and other IDPs in the Gabicas IDPs site are heavily impacted by the drought, they are also in dilemma to welcome the rain, fearing flash floods that will do more harm. “We need the rain to go back to our homes, but heavy rain is also our concern. These temporary shelters can’t protect us from heavy rains or floods.”
In Somali Region, drought has significantly increased humanitarian needs and has led to a growing number of internally displaced people in addition to those impacted by the previous conflicts in the region. Prior to the drought, draft data from IOM DTM indicated over 870,000 protracted IDPs living in the region.
After being forced to leave their homes due to drought or conflict, many people like Nimu, Dalbile and hundreds of thousands of people in the Somali Region have found themselves in a difficult situation that needs durable solutions.
While addressing the immediate needs of IDPs and vulnerable host communities, the Somali Region and the UN as well as donors and partners have sought long-term solutions to the multi-faced challenges of IDPs. The efforts led to the development of a three-year durable solutions strategy that will help tackle the adverse impact of internal displacement in a sustainable manner.
The strategy aims to reach more than 100,500 households and 603,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the area.
Led by the regional government, which has committed to including durable solutions activities in its budget, and supported by the UN, the strategy which was launched 24 May was welcomed by donors.
Among others, Ambassadors of Finland, Germany, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland, Deputy Ambassador of the Czech Republic, and representatives of the European Union and USAID, attended the launching ceremony.
According to the displacement tracking matrix of the International Organization for Migration, currently, Ethiopia has one of the highest numbers of IDPs globally – 4.5 million persons with close to 1 million in Somali, the largest number displaced in a single region in the country. The strategy will support the IDPs to sustainably rebuild their lives.
The IDP representative, Tarik Dullane, Head of Qoloji IDPs Women’s Committee, stressed that to restart their lives in dignity, they needed durable solutions. “Humanitarian assistance is not an option,” she said.
Meanwhile, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Dr. Catherine Sozi, explained that successful implementation would be achieved if internal displacement was also recognized as a priority for development and peace.
““This is achievable if we go beyond treating internal displacement as just a humanitarian problem and recognize it as a priority for development and peace.”
“Intervention in support of durable solutions need to address governance, infrastructure, social cohesion, security, and risk reduction components. They are all are essential for achieving solutions at scale and for supporting the achievement of the sustainable development goals,” Dr. Sozi said.
In his opening statement at the launch of the strategy, President of Somali Regional State of Ethiopia, Mr. Mustafe M. Omer, said, "The strategy will serve as an instrument to advance durable solutions to both conflict and climate-induced internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as vulnerable host community members."
Support of international Partners
International partners were very supportive of the Somali Region Durable Solutions Strategy.
Ms. Tamara Mona, Ambassador of Switzerland to Ethiopia, noted that the Somali Region Durable Solutions Strategy is a step forward in the development of holistic, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society approach in finding dignified and sustainable solutions for IDPs.
Mr. Stefan Auer, Ambassador of Germany to Ethiopia, commended Somali Region for developing a durable solutions strategy and expressed Germany’s interest to strengthen sustainable solutions in the humanitarian-peace-development nexus.
Ms. Takako Ito, Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, expressed support for the Somali Region Durable Solutions Strategy and underscored the importance of transitioning from humanitarian to development to save the lives of people.
Mr. Hans Henric Lundquist, Ambassador of Sweden to Ethiopia, noted that informed and voluntary return, relocation and local integration as well as support for households to make individual decisions are crucial for achieving durable solutions for Internally Displacement Persons.
Ms. Outi Holopainen, Ambassador of Finland to Ethiopia, underlined the need to ensure the most vulnerable including women and children and people with disability are at the center when implementing the durable solution strategy for Somali Region.
Ms. Sarah Berry, representing USAID Ethiopia, commended the Somali Region for developing the strategy that embraces the principles of dignified, safe and voluntary solutions for internally displaced persons.
Ms. Sarah Buzzoni, representing the European Union in Ethiopia, expressed support to the durable solutions strategy for Somali Region, as the region has been facing drought and other natural disasters.
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Story
11 April 2022
UNIDO, Government Representatives Visit Bure Integrated Agro-Industrial Park
Ms. Aurelia P. Calabrò, UNIDO Representative and Director of the Regional Hub, Ms. Semereta Sewasew , State Minister for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance and other senior Ethiopia government officials from different sectors visited the Integrated Agro-Industrial Park (IAIP) in Bure, West Gojam, Amhara Regional State.
The visiting team also interacted with regional stakeholders on the conducive business environment being created and challenges that require policy and administrative support at the Federal level.
The Bure IAIP occupies an area of 1000 ha including three provinces in West Gojam, East Gojam, and Awi. Out of 1000 ha, 160 ha have been developed. The team noted that the major facilities have been completed with the exception of the power sub-station (only 29%) that is a work to be carried out by the Federal Government. Similarly, the wastewater treatment plant is almost completed (95% civil works finalized) and the mechanical equipment procured and being manufactured. The plant is expected to be finalized by June/July.
A total of 500,000 people are expected to benefit directly or indirectly from the Bure IAIP. This also includes 200,000 farmers and 28,000 workers at factory level.
Challenges facing the Bure IAIP include sustainable supply of raw materials, attraction of anchor investors and financial capacity (access to finance), among others.
At the end of the field visit, it was decided that the project team would come up with a comprehensive report, indicating lessons learned and measures that need to be taken at the Federal and Regional levels, development partners and all stakeholders to address the issues identified during the mission.
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Story
25 April 2022
Ethiopia Humanitarian Country Team visits Metekel Zone of Benishangul Region to see humanitarian situation, response
The Ethiopia Humanitarian Country Team (EHCT) led by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Dr. Catherine Sozi, conducted a field visit to Metekel Zone of Benishangul Gumuz region from 20-21 April 2022.
The team interacted with people displaced by the ongoing violence in the region, local authorities and partners to understand the humanitarian situation in the region.
The violence in the region has displaced approximately 411,014 people, of whom, 65 per cent (266,000 IDPs) are in Metekel Zone. At least 12,000 houses, 142 schools, 107 health posts and 183 animal health posts have been damaged. Up to 660 water schemes out of the 1,494 in the zone are non-functional. The security situation in the Zone remains tense and volatile – significantly restricting humanitarian access to hard-to-reach areas with the most critical needs.
The Ethiopia Humanitarian Country Team saw firsthand the dire situation that requires additional resources to deliver critical humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, water and sanitation of the affected population and ensure the IDPs are protected.
In conversations with the Ethiopian Humanitarian Country Team, the internally displaced persons reiterated their interest to return to their homes and revive their livelihoods if peace is restored and their security is not at risk.
“The situation is very sobering,” Dr. Sozi said. “The humanitarian response should be beefed up to ensure internally displaced people live a dignified life until they return to their homes”.
The team also visited Pawe hospital in Metekel Zone and discussed with officials and staff of the hospital.
The United Nations continues to work with partners on the ground to support the affected communities and to complement the response made by national and local authorities to this dire situation.
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Story
25 April 2022
‘This is the worst drought in forty years’: Millions of Ethiopians at risk from failed rains
As a result of the drought, Zeineba, 60, was forced into the most difficult decision of her life: to leave her neighborhood behind and move to another village, to save her life and that of her family. “My livestock perished from lack of water and pasture, and could not survive the harsh drought anymore. It is painful,” she lamented.
In Somali Region, as in other pastoral areas, livestock are an essential means of survival for the large majority of people, and key to generating income in local markets. Millions like Zeineba have lost their livelihoods, and been forced to move to places where they can receive humanitarian assistance from local people, government or humanitarian organizations.
As the situation worsened in her village, Zeineba started out on foot with her seven children. It took them seven days to reach Higlo humanitarian site for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
‘The situation is dire’
“This is the worst drought in forty years,” says President of Somali Region, Mustafe Mohammed Omer. “The government responded on time to the immediate impact of the drought by providing humanitarian assistance. We will also continue to work assiduously to mitigate the effect of the drought on the people.”
“But the situation is dire”, continues Mr. Omar. “Responding to the increasing needs requires huge resources. Putting all the resources of the region to the drought response will also derail ongoing large-scale development initiatives that have long-term and transformative effects for our communities”.
According to a recent update on the drought issued by Mr. Omar’s office, an estimated one million livestock have also died across 10 drought-affected zones in Somali Region. Livestock across the region are in poor health, and many more are expected to perish from increases in disease during the upcoming rainy season. Vaccination campaigns and livestock feed to save the core breeding stock are urgently needed.
Preparing for droughts and floods
Meanwhile, the United Nations, along with partners on the ground, is supporting affected families with food, water, nutrition, shelter, and other non-food needs.
“Preparations to enable and support a timely response to the ongoing dire humanitarian situation, build resilience, and adapt to the climate crisis are critical for alleviating the impact of the drought on millions of people in the region”, says Catherine Sozi, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia.
Flooding could occur during the coming rainy season, which will require a coordinated response and immense resources to protect the communities already being severely impacted by the drought. Fresh funding is urgently needed to address the growing needs of the affected population, including internally displaced persons and the host community.
The UN is supporting longer-term government and community efforts to help communities to be better prepared to cope with droughts and other risks in the future, and is working to improve coordination between all humanitarian bodies in the region.
On Tuesday, Martin Griffiths, the UN head of humanitarian affairs, will take part in a high-level roundtable on the drought in the Horn of Africa.‘This is the worst drought in forty years’: Millions of Ethiopians at risk from failed rains
‘This is the worst drought in forty years’: Millions of Ethiopians at risk from failed rains
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Press Release
08 June 2022
United Nations Report launched in Ethiopia, urges cooperation between Volunteers and States in Africa
Despite the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic, interest in volunteering has not waned in Africa and across the world. Volunteering in communities has endured despite limited mobility and resources. While Covid-19 restrictions have prevented many people from volunteering in person, many have switched to volunteering online.
The fourth State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR 2022) ‘Building Equal and Inclusive Societies’ was launched today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by H.E Dr. Ergoge Tesfaye, Minister, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs for Ethiopia at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The launch was also attended by His Excellency Ambassador Mohamed Lamine Thiaw, Permanent Representative of Senegal to Ethiopia and the African Union, His Excellency Ambassador Hans Lundquist, Ambassador of Sweden to Ethiopia, Mr. Cleophas Torori, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative among other representatives from UN Member States, United Nations (UN) entities, the African Union Commission (AUC), diplomatic community, volunteer community and the private sector.
The SWVR 2022 Report findings provide an interesting and timely opportunity to analyze the strategic role of volunteering for peace and development in the African continent. The SWVR 2022 Africa regional launch provided key stakeholders with an opportunity to shine the spotlight on transformative volunteering models that have emerged across different countries in Africa around service delivery, policymaking and participation, governance, decision-making and social innovation. The launch took the global discussions on the Report to the regional level to initiate and generate momentum for a sustained regional conversation on SWVR 2022 findings and raise awareness among stakeholders, policymakers, and institutions in Africa.
Speaking during the launch, H.E Ergoge Tesfaye noted that through volunteerism, more people participate in development at all levels of society empowering them to fully engage in their development priorities.
“Volunteering represents essential capacities for communities and nations to pursue social, economic and environmental goals,” - H.E Ergoge Tesfaye, Minister, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs of Ethiopia said while launching the Report.
The Report draws on case study research in Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the five regions, Africa demonstrated the highest volunteer rates – the share of the total working-age population (15 years and over) who volunteer. While other regions display monthly volunteer rates of 9 to 10.6 percent, Africa far exceeds this with monthly volunteer rates of 17.5 percent. Additionally, two African countries - Senegal and Kenya – were selected for a 2021 global multi-country survey by UNV and Gallup that informed the SWVR 2022 findings on the contribution of volunteers to COVID-19 response in the global south. The survey found relatively high levels of volunteer participation in COVID-19 response in Senegal and Kenya, with volunteer action rates of 98% and 92% respectively –the highest among eight other countries that participated in the survey.
Speaking during the launch of the Report, Mr. Cleophas Torori, Deputy Resident Representative for UNDP Ethiopia noted that volunteerism provides an important opportunity for everybody, including marginalized groups, to have their voices heard and their actions recognized.
“Engaging and integrating volunteers will help us move forward together, allowing us to mitigate future challenges and sustain our resilience as a human collective,” he said.
“The findings of the report provide critical information for policy makers to ensure we ‘leave no one behind’ in our quest for development, particularly following the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequalities in the region and the world,” said Ms. Lucy Ndungu, Regional Manager for UNV East and Southern Africa Regional Office also said during the launch event.
The SWVR 2022 comes at a crucial moment as countries start to build forward from the pandemic and institutions need to engage volunteers as key partners. “To build forward better, it will be very important for volunteers to be regarded as essential partners in development,” said Mr. Benjamin Mirichi, an International UN Volunteer from Kenya serving with UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The Report identifies three models to highlight volunteer-state relationships – the deliberative governance, the co-production of services and the social innovation – and offers policy recommendations. Decision makers are encouraged to:
Promote volunteering beyond service delivery to include social innovation and inclusiveness.
Strengthen public social recognition of volunteers especially as they are not financially rewarded.
Create space where both volunteers and state authorities can share their experiences and establish common ground.
Invest in measurement and data on volunteers and support research on volunteerism.
As part of the SWVR preparation, UNV and Gallup conducted research to study the patterns of volunteerism during COVID-19. The multi-country primary data collection was conducted in March-April 2021, including a survey of eight thousand people in eight countries – Bolivia, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
--------------------------------------------------
Notes to Editors:
For more information and to schedule interviews please contact:
Kevin Ochieng kevin.ochieng@unv.org
Getachew Dibaba Ayanee getachew.dibaba@un.org
For the full Report and other resources go to:
Full Report: https://swvr2022.unv.org/
SWVR Key Messages and Policy Recommendations: https://swvr2022.unv.org/key-messages-and-policy-recommendations/
SWVR Trello Board: https://trello.com/b/MXkphT2K/state-of-the-worlds-volunteerism-report-2022
About the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme:
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tacking development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
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Press Release
26 May 2022
UN Headquarters Observes International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on 26 May
UN Headquarters will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Thursday, 26 May 2022. Secretary-General António Guterres will lay a wreath to honour the nearly 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and will preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 117 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their life serving under the UN flag last year.
Among the peacekeepers to be honooured posthumously are three Ethiopian peacekeepers who served with United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA): Cpl Solomon Ayalew Gared, Sgt Abebe Tesfaye Masiresha, and Sgt Tekelargay Tinikshu Haile.
During a special ceremony, the Secretary-General will award the “Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage” posthumously to Captain Abdelrazakh Hamit Bahar of Chad, who served with the United Nations Integrated Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The medal is named for a Senegalese peacekeeper who was killed in Rwanda in 1994 after saving countless civilian lives. This is the second time the medal has been awarded since the inaugural medal was presented to Captain Diagne's family in his honour in 2016.
The Secretary-General will also award the ‘2021 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award’ to Major Winnet Zharare, a Zimbabwean military observer, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan. Created in 2016, the Award “recognises the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.”
In his message, the Secretary-General said: “Today, we honour the more than one million women and men who have served as UN peacekeepers since 1948. We pay tribute to the nearly 4,200 heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace. And we are reminded an age-old truth: peace can never be taken for granted. Peace is the prize. We are deeply grateful to the 87,000 civilian, police and military personnel now serving under the UN flag who are helping to realize the prize of peace worldwide.”
The theme for this year’s observance is “People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships.” According to the Secretary-General, “Around the globe, UN peacekeepers work with Member States, civil society, humanitarians, the media, the communities they serve and many others, to foster peace, protect civilians, promote human rights and the rule of law and improve the lives of millions of people.”
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said: “Every day, UN peacekeepers work to protect vulnerable people in the world’s most fragile political and security situations. The dangers they face are greater than ever, with increasing global tensions, ever-more complex threats from terrorist attacks to organized crime and the use of Improvised Explosive Devices as well as a surge in mis and disinformation targeting our missions and the communities we serve. Despite these challenges, peacekeepers persevere alongside our many partners in the collective pursuit of peace. Today, we thank them for their tremendous contribution and remember with great sorrow our colleagues who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the cause of peace.” The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN’s first peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine. Since then, more than 1 million women and men have served in 72 UN peacekeeping operations.
Schedule of Events at Headquarters on 26 May 09:30 a.m.: The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of fallen peacekeepers at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site on the North Lawn. (If inclement weather, the ceremony will be held near the Chagall window in the Visitors’ Lobby). Only UN Photo and UN TV will cover the ceremony. It will not be webcast live, but will be available on demand soon after the event: https://media.un.org/ 10:00 a.m.: The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, Military Gender Advocate of the Year, and Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage ceremonies will be held in the Trusteeship Council and shown live on UN Webcast: https://media.un.org/ 12:00 p.m.: Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix will be the guest at the noon briefing. It will be webcast live at https://media.un.org/ # # # # # Media Contacts: Douglas Coffman, Department of Global Communications -+1 (917) 361-9923, e-mail: coffmand@un.org; or Hector Calderon, Department of Peace Operations +1 (917) 226 5219 e-mail: hector.calderon@un.org For more information, please visit the Peacekeepers Day websites here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day; or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/international-day-of-peacekeepers-2022
The theme for this year’s observance is “People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships.” According to the Secretary-General, “Around the globe, UN peacekeepers work with Member States, civil society, humanitarians, the media, the communities they serve and many others, to foster peace, protect civilians, promote human rights and the rule of law and improve the lives of millions of people.”
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said: “Every day, UN peacekeepers work to protect vulnerable people in the world’s most fragile political and security situations. The dangers they face are greater than ever, with increasing global tensions, ever-more complex threats from terrorist attacks to organized crime and the use of Improvised Explosive Devices as well as a surge in mis and disinformation targeting our missions and the communities we serve. Despite these challenges, peacekeepers persevere alongside our many partners in the collective pursuit of peace. Today, we thank them for their tremendous contribution and remember with great sorrow our colleagues who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the cause of peace.” The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN’s first peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine. Since then, more than 1 million women and men have served in 72 UN peacekeeping operations.
Schedule of Events at Headquarters on 26 May 09:30 a.m.: The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of fallen peacekeepers at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site on the North Lawn. (If inclement weather, the ceremony will be held near the Chagall window in the Visitors’ Lobby). Only UN Photo and UN TV will cover the ceremony. It will not be webcast live, but will be available on demand soon after the event: https://media.un.org/ 10:00 a.m.: The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, Military Gender Advocate of the Year, and Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage ceremonies will be held in the Trusteeship Council and shown live on UN Webcast: https://media.un.org/ 12:00 p.m.: Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix will be the guest at the noon briefing. It will be webcast live at https://media.un.org/ # # # # # Media Contacts: Douglas Coffman, Department of Global Communications -+1 (917) 361-9923, e-mail: coffmand@un.org; or Hector Calderon, Department of Peace Operations +1 (917) 226 5219 e-mail: hector.calderon@un.org For more information, please visit the Peacekeepers Day websites here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day; or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/international-day-of-peacekeepers-2022
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Press Release
25 March 2022
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Ethiopia
The conflict in Ethiopia has caused terrible suffering for millions of people across Afar, Amhara, Tigray, Benishangul Gumz and Oromia. These positive developments must now translate into immediate improvements on the ground.
The Secretary-General therefore reiterates his call for the restoration of public services in Tigray, including banking, electricity and telecommunications, and calls for all sides to proactively enable and facilitate the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance across all affected areas. The Secretary-General urges all parties in this conflict to build on this encouraging development to take the necessary steps towards a long-term ceasefire.
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
New York, 25 March 2022
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Press Release
12 April 2022
UNHCR seeks US$205 million to deliver life-saving assistance to over 1.6 million people affected by the northern Ethiopia conflict
Sixteen months of conflict in northern Ethiopia has created a humanitarian crisis. Civilians, including refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) have been displaced, amid widespread reports of gender-based violence, human rights abuses, loss of shelter and access to basic services, and critical levels of food insecurity.
More than 2 million Ethiopians have fled in search of safety within the country, and almost 60,000 across the border into Sudan. Several camps and settlements hosting Eritrean refugees have been attacked or destroyed, further displacing tens of thousands within Ethiopia.
Funds raised will help us to provide essential protection and humanitarian assistance to those impacted by the violence. At least 60,000 IDP households will be assisted with shelter and emergency relief items. We will establish additional protection desks –adding to the more than 60 already set up – to identify people with specific needs and to refer survivors of gender-based violence to services, and we will support the reintegration of 75,000 IDP families, who wish to return to their homes.
We welcome the quick response of the Ethiopian government to identify new sites to settle the displaced refugees, which requires resources. UNHCR will support the government’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) and partners to complete the Alemwach site, in the Amhara region, so that Eritrean refugees can be relocated as soon as it is possible to do so, and to ensure essential services. A new temporary site for Eritrean refugees caught up in the fighting in Afar region is similarly in need of urgent investment. Together with RRS and partners, we are aiming to get 20,000 refugee children back into school.
In eastern Sudan, UNHCR will provide critical protection and assistance to Ethiopian refugees, including by building shelters that are more durable, and strengthening health care and education. Activities to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and to provide psychosocial and mental health support will be scaled up.
UNHCR will also boost preparedness for flooding and extreme weather ahead of the upcoming rainy season. Opportunities to earn an income will be enhanced both for refugees and the communities that host them.
Of the US$205 million, US$117 million will support the needs of Ethiopian IDPs and Eritrean refugees in the Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions of Ethiopia, while US$72 million will help us support Ethiopian refugees in Sudan. Some US$16 million will be used for preparedness as part of contingency measures for any potential influx into neighbouring countries (Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan).
While UNHCR continues to reinforce its protection and humanitarian assistance, we reiterate our call to all parties of the conflict to protect civilians in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law and to provide safe and unhindered access to all those in need.
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Press Release
09 February 2022
Peace needed for effective implementation of humanitarian and development agenda, says Deputy Secretary-General in Ethiopia
“The biggest call for the United Nations in Ethiopia is to urgently deliver humanitarian assistance to the people who need it most. This urgency is particularly important for women and children,” stated the Deputy Secretary-General at the conclusion of her visit.
Following the AU Summit, the Deputy Secretary-General stressed the remarks of the Secretary-General at the event that implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the AU’s Agenda 2063 was “the cornerstone of the relationship between the two organizations”.
She said, “Opportunities to address Africa’s challenges are huge,” adding that, “It is important to align the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the AU’s Agenda 2063 for its diverse people to enjoy peace and security, and sustainable livelihoods.”
In her meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Deputy Secretary-General emphasized the commitment of the United Nations to continue to support the Government in its progress towards delivering the 2030 Agenda and for it to achieve its ambition to become a beacon of prosperity in this Decade of Action. The United Nations would do so with impartiality for all Ethiopians, she stated.
Further, from Sunday 6 to Wednesday 9 February, Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed met with Federal Government leaders and officials, regional authorities, clan leaders and other stakeholders to discuss the support of the United Nations to both Government and development partners to tackle challenges they faced in meeting humanitarian needs of families in their areas and to get on track to keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“When we find peace, we can begin the journey back to economic recovery, and the restoration of dignity and livelihoods,” the Deputy Secretary-General outlined. She pledged to the President of Afar region that, “The United Nations will accompany you through the conflict to peace and development. We will continue to provide humanitarian aid to all regions so that no Ethiopian will suffer.”
Moreover, Ms. Mohammed met with local populations, including youth and women, impacted by the conflict as well as by the ongoing drought.
Expressing sadness at the impact of the conflict on civilians as she was able to view firsthand, the Deputy Secretary-General, in all of her meetings, reiterated the Secretary-General’s appeal to all parties in Ethiopia for an immediate cessation of hostilities so effective humanitarian access could reach all those who are affected. Cessation of hostilities would also “pave the way to a much-needed inclusive national dialogue involving all Ethiopians”.
Additionally, she referred to the grave effects of the conflict experienced by women and children. She called for the immediate end to sexual and gender-based violence, among other atrocities, and cited the need for comprehensive physical and mental health support for all who experienced physical and psychological violence. She urged the authorities to involve women in their recovery and reconstruction efforts.
On the prolonged drought in Somali, highlighting the negative impact of climate change, the Deputy Secretary-General pointed out that climate action remained a pivotal part of the Sustainable Development Goals. She commended the Prime Minister’s plan to build more dams and develop water projects in Ethiopia as well as the initiative of the President of Somali region to undertake investment and development to improve the lives of his constituents. She also thanked the host communities for the strong support they were giving to pastoralists and others who were displaced from their homes to find watering points for their families and livestock.
Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations in Ethiopia, Ms. Catherine Sozi, who was part of the Deputy Secretary-General’s delegation, noted that, in 2021, the Organization was able to provide more than US$ 18 million in aid to those most in need in Somali. She disclosed that an additional US$ 20 million was about to be allocated to the region.
To emphasize the role of women and girls in sustainable development, the Deputy Secretary-General met, in Addis Ababa, with a group of young women entrepreneurs, who are part of a United Nations supported project. They shared concerns and tangibly highlighted the importance of their contribution to Ethiopia’s progress.
She was hopeful, she said, to see the “rich spirit of Ethiopian women” represented in the group. Further, she stated, “Young people have to care about the possibilities and opportunities available throughout the African continent.”
Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed was accompanied on her mission to Somali and Afar by Ethiopian President, Mrs. Sahle-Work Zewde.
Ms. Mohammed was appointed the fifth Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations by Secretary-General António Guterres in December 2016 and currently holds responsibility for the implementation of Agenda 2030 as Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group.
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