UNICEF to Intensify Support to Development Efforts in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa December 6/2023 (ENA) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will intensify support to enhance the development activities being carried out across Ethiopia, Country Representative of the agency disclosed.

UNICEF has been in Ethiopia for several years providing supports to  national efforts to ensure the development rights of children and women.

 The agency mainly provides the necessary supports to priority areas identified by the government of Ethiopia focusing on social development including education and health. 

In an exclusive interview with ENA, UNICEF Country Representative in Ethiopia, Aboubacar Kampo said the UN Children agency is making continuous effort in collaboration with the government, local and international development partners to support development programs being undertaken in the country in the areas of education, health, nutrition, and sanitation among other related sectors. 

According to him, UNICEF has been investing 700 million USD to support the implementation of these development programs across the country.   
“Health is one of largest program, the organization supports in this country, but primary health care mobile nutrition is also part of our development programs.” 

UNICEF has also been engaged in advocation activities in resource mobilization to help strengthen the nation’s development efforts, he added. 
UNICEF collaborates with different development partners and donors to solicit not only funds but also other vital technical supports to development programs being implemented with the objective to addressing the socio-economic demands of the people particularly children and women in Ethiopia. 

Kampo expressed UNICEF’s commitment to further intensify its partnership with the Government of Ethiopia, other pertinent development actors and the community at large to ensure the rights of children with a view to make them productive citizens. 

According to the country representative, UNICEF will intensify ongoing development supports to strengthen access to education in collaboration with the government, community, international partners and non-government organizations.

He further said UNICEF is desirous to engage much more in development activities such as income generating schemes to help efforts of poverty reduction as poverty is one of the biggest drivers of social injustice. 

UNICEF has established working relations with the various government sector ministries in Ethiopia, he added. 

"There are also new programs in addition to the existing programs hoping to have resources of doing more than we have done in 2023 and will continue supporting the wellbeing of women and children across the country," he added. 

The Country Representative affirmed UNICEF’s plan in the coming years to intensify development supports in Ethiopia with the magnitude of more than previous years.