UN Pledges Support to Improve Ethiopia’s Human Development

Addis Ababa September 13/2022 /ENA/ The United Nations pledged to provide the necessary support to Ethiopia to improve the country’s human development sector.

The United Nations Development Programme   (UNDP) has launched the Human Development Report 2021/22 today entitled: Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives; Shaping Our Future in a Transforming World.”

The Human development summary capturing achievements in the Human Development Index (HDI)  and complementary matrices that estimate gender gaps, inequality, planetary pressures and poverty, it was indicated.

Moreover, the HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development including long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living.

Between 2000 and 2021, Ethiopia’s HDI value changed from 0.287 to 0.498, a change of 73.5 percent, it was pointed out.

Speaking to ENA UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Catherine Sozi said country at this moment is going through a lot of difficulties that are impacting on the lives of people.

She added Ethiopia has been facing conflict in the northern part  and drought in some parts of the country.

In spite of all these crises, the coordinator noted Ethiopia is actually trying to remain up in the Human Development Index.

This gives hope for the UN system that Ethiopia can achieve better human development progress as well as will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she pointed out.

“Am optimistic that Ethiopia can move through achieving the SDGs. But certain investments have to be made to make sure the crisis around conflict and drought are ended,” the coordinator said.

She also emphasizes the need for Ethiopia to invest in quality education and invest in health for human development success.

The UN will give all necessary support to Ethiopia in this regard, she pledged.  

UNDP Resident Representative, Turhan Saleh said on his part Ethiopia’s Human Development Index of 0.498 out of one puts the country in the low human development category.

However, the rank is at stable situation compared with other countries across the world.  

“The important thing is that we have seen the past two years, human development fall in 90 percent of countries across the world. This dangers and in first time happened. In Ethiopia we are not going as quickly forward, but we have not lost.  So we are now in a kind of at stable situation.”

Noting that because of conflict millions of children have not been to school for a long time, he urged Ethiopia to invest in peace, health and education for permanent success of human development.