Exclusive with UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to Ethiopia

Mr. Aeneas Chuma of Zimbabwe is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to Ethiopia. He has taken the position since 8th October 2018.

Prior to this appointment, Chuma served as ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa from 2014 to 2017.

He also served as Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for the United Nations Mission, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Liberia from 2012-2014.

Chuma also served as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Kenya from 2008 to 2012 and in Zambia from 2003 to 2008. From 2000 to 2003, he was the UN Deputy Resident Representative in Mozambique.

The Resident Coordinator has shared his ideas with ENA regarding the sweeping changes in Ethiopia, challenges that the country faces and cooperation between Ethiopia and UN.

Sweeping Reforms in Ethiopia

The UN in general and in fact the entire African continent and the entire world have been impressed by reforms initiated by Prime Minister Abiy last year and there is tremendous interest in supporting those reforms to ensure that they succeed, because they are very progressive they create democratic space, create opportunities for peace, they create the approach with several countries in the region that historically were in conflict.

I think the relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea is a particular example. So by and large, we are very optimistic and we are positive as the United Nations. But we also recognize that there is tremendous work that needs to be done to make sure that the reforms are succeeded.

I think one of unintended consequences of reforms is the increase in incidences of communal conflict which is resulted in a very high number of internally displaced people. So by enlarge, we are optimistic they are positive reforms and we want to support them but we recognize the challenges and want to work with the government to overcome the challenges.

Generally, across the board the opining up of the democratic space is very important. Historically the space was totally restricted. Probably one of the most dramatic accomplishments is bringing gender parity within cabinet. Which is many countries in the world are not accomplished that. Bringing 50 percent women-50 percent men and it has to be emphasized that they are not people who are appointed because they are women but because, they are people of substance and they are well educated, they are capable and they are competent.

That is probably the most important reason why they were identified to fill this positions but it means that opportunities have been increased for women in this respect. The appointment of Supreme Court, first women president so all these things are big accomplishments in a very short space of time but they are very significant, they are very powerful and the powerfulness message is to the world and to the young people in Ethiopia as well. So, the country is in the move and plays a constructive and positive role. 

UN Support to Internally Displaced People

Historically, this was a result of drought or floods particularly in the low lands. We need to respond to save lives and livelihoods but more recently with the experience of new type of internally displaced people as a result of conflict between communities. We are very concerned about that and we work with the government to try and do two things:

First, to try and make sure that are internally displaced receive the support that their required in terms of food and in terms of education among others and the government providing leadership in this respect.

We also want to work with the government to find long-term solutions to the problem of internally displaced people and working with people themselves that are affected and supporting people to return to their homes.

We have no objections in that with principle with the government all in our discussions what we highlight with the government is that there are certain international human rights principles that must be observed in return people to their place of displacement. This include that we cannot force them they have to be willing to return. Secondly we have to make sure that the conditions allow for a successful return. So, we have to prepare for successful return to make sure the conditions are there and their right.

I think one of the concerns is they are feel insecure about the areas of displacement. In that area the government responsibility is to provide law and order to provide security in those areas.

We work with the office of coordination with OCHA, with ministry of peace and other stakeholders to provide support to make sure that save lives on those affected and provide capacity to recover and we continue to engage with government in this respect.

UN Interventions and Priorities in Ethiopia

The UN has a strong presence in Ethiopia. It is a very important country to the United Nations. We have 29 UN agencies working on development issues in Ethiopia. But we are also working on humanitarian issues in Ethiopia. It is a very old relationship established over many years. In terms of development, there are several Ethiopian development plan priorities including the GTP. I think next year, the government will probably working on the 3rd GTP (GTP-3) as a national development plan to define their own strategic areas and support based on their mandate. We have different mandates as the United Nations and can do everything based on our capacity to bringing good value and support with resources going forward, that is the one then used in the United Nations development system in Ethiopia.

So, the priorities in fact are related to consolidating peace, consolidation of governance that is the priority area of the UN. I think what we have done as UN also to try and revisit our priorities in the context of the new dispensation so that our priorities are relevant to the reforms that are going on here and by enlarge our priorities remain appropriate and relevant to the GTP priorities and probably the areas we can strengthen is in terms of delivering results going forward. So by enlarge our priorities are quite relevant to the national development priorities.

Economic Growth Vs Unemployment

We are very concerned about employment generation. Growing the economy must generate jobs for the large numbers of young people enter the labor force every year.

I think that is very significant. Because, experienced a significant growth over the last 10/15 years. In fact, one of the highest growth rates in the world. But also we realized that the growth is not generated enough jobs for the large numbers of young people that entered the labor force every year. So we have to go beyond growth, we have to look at what type of growth can we support, can we work with. We need a type of growth that would generate enough jobs.  But we also understand that in fact with technology and improvements in productivity.

Growth alone cannot meet all the job requirements of the population so we have to encourage job growth but also we have to encourage entrepreneurship among the young people, encourage them to use for example new technologies, digital technologies to work from home, to create jobs and services. But we have to create the infrastructure that required to support that we have to create opportunities for financing to support entrepreneurship. We have come up with new products, financial products, and financial services that promote job creation and that promote entrepreneur developments for young people.

It is the priority of the government in order to generate jobs and create opportunities in employment. That is why this massive program of industrial states in several strategic areas and strategic towns designed precisely to encourage industrialization but also to encourage job creations in the process.

UN-Ethiopia Cooperation

We really have an excellent relationship with the government and we get the support that we require to help the government to address the challenges that it face and the new dispensation provides an incredible, historical opportunity to transform this country to the good, to open up the political spaces all those who were fighting the previous government have been encouraged to come and they are encouraged to operate within the new political environment. And I have met some of them and they feel that the conditions are of course much better. I’m not saying this is perfect, it is very clear that there is a work that needs to be done going forward but this is the trust and positive trust which has to be supported.