Nationals residing in the Western United States held a congress of national organizations on 13 April in Oakland, California.

At the congress, Mr. Berhane Gebrehiwet, Chargé d’Affaires at the Eritrean Embassy, provided an extensive briefing on the current situation in the homeland and regional developments. Mr. Berhane urged the nationals to strengthen their organizational capacity and participation in national affairs and called on them to pass on noble societal values to the younger generation.

The congress reviewed the activities conducted by the national organization in 2023 and discussed the programs planned for 2024.

The participants expressed their readiness to enhance organizational capacity and engage more actively in national affairs. They committed to investing in human resources development and to transferring noble societal values to the young generation. Additionally, they advocated for the continuation of the seminars.

According to reports, similar congresses have been organized in various cities across the US.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Uganda has been endorsed to the Khartoum Process Steering Committee, an announcement made during the Senior Officials’ Meeting taking place in Cairo, Egypt 17 th -18 th April 2024 The Khartoum Process was established in November 2014 to serve as a platform for political cooperation amongst the countries along the EU-Horn of Africa Migration Route. It is an inter-regional cooperation which facilitates collaboration and information exchange with a focus on migration.

The Uganda delegation to the meeting was composed of senior officials from the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs. Membership of the KP includes Germany (outgoing Chair), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt (incoming chair), Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, South Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda.

The Steering Committee of the Khartoum process membership includes comprises five (5) EU Member States (Italy, France, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands) and Five (5) African Member States (Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia). Partners on the steering committee include: European Union Commission, European External Action Service (EEAS) and African Union Commission. During the 2023 Steering Committee meeting in 2023, a decision was arrived at to expand membership from 10 to 12 with 6 from each block, leading to Uganda’s endorsement.

The Objectives of the Khartoum Process (KP) include creating a common understanding of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, opportunities forbalanced partnership and maintenance of a spirit of shared responsibility and enhanced cooperation. “Uganda brings forth its vast experience in migration management to add impetus to the Khartoum Process initiatives,” said Ms. Agnes Birungi, Consular Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a member of the delegation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ethiopia’s conflict-affected regions faced many challenges, including communication disruptions, power outages, and supply shortages.  As of May 2023, 22.8 million people in Ethiopia faced food insecurity, lacking sufficient food for consumption. The prevalence of food insecurity in Ethiopia was 22.25 per cent of the population at the time.  The situation was further compounded by flooding and mud slides caused by heavy rainfall and river overflows between October and November 2023, approximately 1.5 million people have been affected, mainly in regions such as Somalia, Oromia, Afar, South Ethiopia and Gambella.  Amid these adversities, malnutrition emerged as a silent killer, threatening the lives of thousands, particularly children under five. The most recent Food and Nutrition baseline survey (FNS) 2023 revealed that 11 per cent of children under the age of five are acutely malnourished or wasted, and 39 per cent are stunted. The prevalence of wasting among children under five years ranges from as low as 4% in Addis Ababa to as high as 9% in Oromia, 15% in Amhara and Gambella, 17% in Somali, and 26% in the Afar region in relation to climate shocks, conflicts, and diseases outbreaks. 

The lack of coordination, inadequate resources, and limited capacity at the grassroots level further exacerbated the situation, leaving communities in desperate need of assistance. According to the latest hotspot classification report in August 2023, there were 154 priority 1 woredas (districts) out of 578 current hotspots. The main causes of the humanitarian crisis were the consecutive failed rainy seasons, the drought in Southern and Southeastern parts of Ethiopia. This year January 2024 hotspot classification showed an increase of woredas classified as priority 1 (219) out of 610 hotspot woredas.

In the face of adversity, the World Health Organization Ethiopia (WHO) nutrition team mobilized resources from partners such as the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and The United States Agency for International Development/ Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA). These resources were used to engage stakeholders and devise innovative strategies to address the crisis head-on. The team laid the groundwork for a comprehensive and sustainable response through regular coordination meetings and collaboration with government agencies, UN bodies, and NGOs, as well as capacity-building efforts at the health facility level.

According to Agnes Charles Kihamia, Technical Nutrition Officer, “Several key strategies and innovations were instrumental in the success of the nutrition emergency response:”

Coordination and Collaboration: By bringing together diverse stakeholders such as government ministries, UN Agencies, local National and International NGOs and fostering partnerships, the team ensured a unified and synchronized effort in addressing the crisis.

Performance Monitoring: Nutrition Surveillance, a robust Systematic monitoring of the diverse range of the information sources on nutrition food, that included detailed nutrition assessments, health facility information, rapid assessments and intervention data were collected, interpreted and distributed, allowed for the timely assessment of interventions, enabling the team to adjust strategies and optimize resource allocation. 

Capacity Strengthening: Empowering frontline healthcare workers, particularly healthcare workers, proved crucial in identifying and delivering quality services for managing acute malnutrition at the grassroots level. Through capacity-building initiatives country-wide, 557 and 307 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) enhanced their skills and knowledge on the comprehensive management of acute malnutrition and Infant and Young Children Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) practices.

Resilience and Adaptability: Despite facing numerous challenges, including communication disruptions and supply shortages, the team demonstrated resilience and adaptability, ensuring the continuity of care even in the most adverse conditions through ensuring adequate supplies and equipment. A total of 109.5 MT of Pediatric kit including SAM/MC children Kits   that provided medicines, renewables and equipment suitable for children and to treat the common childhood malnutrition with medical complications were distributed worth 878.83 K USD.

As a result

Lives Saved: Through timely interventions and quality care, the team saved countless lives, particularly those of children under five who were most vulnerable to malnutrition-related complications. To date, 38.3% cure at the stabilization centers from breastfeeding difficulties and 54.08% of SAM children with medical complications were stabilized and continued with treatment in the outpatient therapeutic services. 

Resilience Built: By strengthening skills and knowledge and fostering partnerships, the response efforts-built strength within communities, enabling them to withstand future crises better.

Sustainability Achieved: The sustainable interventions and capacity-building efforts ensured that the impact of the response extended beyond the immediate crisis, laying the foundation for long-term resilience and well-being. However the malnutrition situation is deteriorating exacerbated  by persistent diseases outbreaks, high food prices, inflation, conflict and displacement, posing a continued challenge on response to the needs both for government and WHO operations. This demands urgent and multi-sectoral support in the nutrition and health in addition to food, water , sanitation an hygiene (WASH) to mitigate the wide spread of drought.

WHO deeply appreciates the support of our donor the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and The United State Agency for International Development/ Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA . Their contribution made Ethiopia’s nutrition emergency response exemplifies the transformative power of coordinated efforts, innovation, and resilience in saving lives and building more robust, more resilient communities. By drawing lessons from this experience, we can continue to improve our response to nutrition emergencies and ensure that no one is left behind in times of crisis.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Ethiopia.

In the Arusha region of Northeast Tanzania, a group of women with disabilities is spearheading efforts to ensure their voices are heard in local decision-making.

For nearly a year, Paulina Sarwath has chaired the Igo group in the Karatu ward, supported by UN Women. This collective of women with disabilities crafts and sells traditional artifacts and meets regularly to devise strategies for growing their businesses and enhancing the representation of women with disabilities in local leadership so that their needs and priorities are taken into account.

Like many others, Paulina once saw leadership as an impossible dream.

“Growing up, the absence of women like us in leadership roles made it seem impossible,” she shares. “But my experiences have taught me the importance of perseverance and striving for more.”

This drive for inclusion is essential in Tanzania, where the 2022 National Census reveals that more than 11 per cent of the population has a disability, with a significant number being women. In Arusha alone, Paulina represents one of approximately 120,000 women (9.8 per cent of the female population) living with a disability. These women not only face gender discrimination but also barriers stemming from their disabilities and societal stigma. This compounds their vulnerability to violence and abuse and limits their participation in economic, social, educational, and political arenas, as well as their access to local decision-making processes, where key decisions affecting their lives are made.

After earning her bookkeeping certification, Paulina struggled to find employment and started volunteering at a nearby health centre. During her time there, she connected with other women with disabilities and joined 48 others to form the Igo group, a group initiated by the UN Women Project on Women’s Leadership and Economic Rights (WLER).

The WLER project, funded by the Government of Finland, aims to advance women’s participation in local governance across six regions and 18 districts of Tanzania. It focuses on improving data collection, fostering gender-responsive norms, and enhancing women’s economic rights, aligning with Tanzania’s Generation Equality Commitments.

“Our goal is to create an inclusive environment where women, including those with disabilities, have the necessary support, skills, and confidence to achieve their economic and leadership goals,” says Erasmina Massawe, UN Women’s Project Manager for WLER.

In 2023, the project partnered with local government authorities and a local CSO, Tusonge Community Development Organization, to establish the IGO Group in Arusha and another group in the Singida region, with 48 members. The members received training to enhance their understanding of gender dynamics, the importance of ensuring women with disabilities’ voices are included in decision-making, and entrepreneurship.

Over the year, the WLER project empowered over 1,800 women, including women with disabilities, with leadership knowledge and skills. It also supported platforms for women with disabilities to include their perspectives in key government planning and policy-making processes. Additionally, the project engaged nearly 275 male community and traditional leaders, working to change discriminatory behaviors and practices locally to elevate women’s roles in leadership and foster shared household responsibilities. Further efforts were made to improve national and local data collection systems, equipping local government authorities with the means to better meet the needs of women, both with and without disabilities.

Midway into the project’s implementation, significant transformations are underway. New tools for enhancing data collection on women with disabilities have been introduced across participating local government authorities. In Arusha, this initiative has registered over 40 groups of women entrepreneurs with disabilities into a database, streamlining their access to government loans. Furthermore, gender-responsive budgeting training in the Lindi region resulted in directives to increase budget allocations for women and women with disabilities in the 2024/25 fiscal year.

After participating in three targeted capacity-building sessions, Paulina’s group is now a source of inspiration and education for other women with disabilities. And although challenges remain, her spirit and determination to realize a world where people with disabilities are seen as equals remains undaunted.

“They say there is nothing about us without us, so I will do my part to ensure that our perspectives are included and there are seats for us at every decision-making table, at all levels.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.