World champion Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreselase, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and world cross-country champion Hellen Obiri will toe the line at the TCS New York City Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race, on 6 November.
Jepchirchir’s fellow defending champion Albert Korir is one of the headline names in the men’s race. The Kenyan will take on Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet, 2020 London Marathon champion Shura Kitata and Olympic silver medalist Abdi Nageeye.
Gotytom, the 2021 Berlin Marathon champion, struck gold in the marathon at the recent World Championships, smashing the championship record with 2:18:11.
Last year, Jepchirchir won the Olympic marathon by 16 seconds, and then four months later won the New York City Marathon in 2:22:39, just eight seconds off the course record. Then in April, in a back-and-forth race that came down to the final mile, Jepchrichir fended off Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh in a thrilling sprint to the finish to take the Boston Marathon title.
Obiri, a two-time world champion over 5000m, will be making her marathon debut. The double Olympic silver medalist set a half marathon PB of 1:04:22 earlier this year and went on to claim silver over 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.
Two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, Israel’s world marathon bronze medalist Lonah Salpeter and Ethiopia’s 2015 world 5000m silver medalist Senbere Teferi are also in the line-up, as is USA’s Sara Hall and Britain’s Jess Piasecki.
Gotytom, Obri confirmed for New York City clash
Vera Songwe steps down as ECA Executive Secretary
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Vera Songwe, has stepped down, effective 1 September 2022, after five years of dedicated service to ECA and its Member States.
Announcing her decision to step down during a town hall meeting on 22 August, Songwe thanked ECA staff for their team spirit and support during her tenure.
“It has been a privilege to work with you and serve the whole UN system. I cannot express enough my appreciation for the support, encouragement, guidance, patience, and friendship I received throughout these years from you,” said Songwe.
Under her leadership, ECA played a key role in promoting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) at national, subregional and continental levels; advocating for adequate resources to finance Africa’s COVID-19 recovery initiatives; fostering public-private partnerships; and promoting local manufacturing to ensure sustainable economic growth and reduce growth volatility in Africa.
In a farewell note to staff on 31 August, Songwe said she was “pleased to convey the Secretary-General’s decision to designate Antonio Pedro (ECA’s Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Programme Support) as Acting Executive Secretary, beginning 1 September 2022, until further notice.”
ECSOC calls on the de-escalation of conflicts
The Ethiopian Civil Society Council (ECSOC) said that it continues to be gravely concerned with the intensification of the armed conflict between the Ethiopian Federal Government and the TPLF with enormous consequences for civilians.
“As a representative of Civil Society organizations, we speak for the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of the renewed conflict in the Northern part of Ethiopia. Among the most vulnerable are Ethiopians living in conflict-ridden regions that depend on emergency assistance for their survival, such as children, the elderly, persons with disability, and women,” ECSOC said in a statement.
“In this regard, the Council is deeply dismayed by the hindrance of humanitarian assistance due to the removal of fuel from the WFP storage intended for humanitarian assistance, as the UN and WFP statements reported. This act is against humanitarian law and it makes the delivery of humanitarian assistance very difficult for those in need,” the statement further added.
US officials visited Dire Dawa and Harar
Ambassador Tracey Jacobson, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, and USAID/Ethiopia Mission Director Sean Jones travelled to Dire Dawa and Harar to meet with government officials and visit U.S. government-funded projects last week.
While in Dire Dawa, Ambassador Jacobson met with Kedir Juhar, the mayor of Dire Dawa, and discussed strengthening people-to-people relations and deepening economic and cultural ties. They also discussed efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. In Harar, the Ambassador and Mr. Jones met with President Ordin Bedri, Harari People’s National Regional State President and discussed ways the United States and the local community can partner to advance peace and build even stronger ties. They participated in a tour of the ancient walled city of Harar, hosted by representatives of the regional president’s office.
In both meetings with regional leaders, Ambassador Jacobson reiterated the need for: durable solutions to end hostilities in northern Ethiopia, sustained humanitarian assistance for all Ethiopians in need, and accountability for human rights abuses.
