The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with Ethiopia’s key development partners group heads of agency, convened to address critical issues encompassing climate change, food security, and resilience-building efforts within the nation's borders. Led by Semereta Sewasew, the State Minister of Finance, the meeting epitomized a collective commitment to navigating Ethiopia through these pressing challenges.
Semereta Sewasew emphasized the government's proactive stance, illustrating ongoing humanitarian assistance during crises and the implementation of resilience-building programs. Notably, investments in agricultural productivity have soared, leveraging climate-resilient and sustainable practices to foster substantial yield improvements. Furthermore, initiatives like economic linkages and household capacity support, exemplified by the productive safety nets, underscored Ethiopia's multifaceted approach to resilience.
On the occasion Ambassador Shiferaw Teklemariam (PhD), Commissioner of the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission, shed light on prevailing humanitarian needs and the advent of a new Disaster Risk Management policy. Despite commendable efforts from development partners, he lamented a distressing resource gap and a concerning downward spiral in humanitarian assistance.
The gravity of the situation was palpable as the meeting pivoted towards addressing food shortages, particularly in northern Ethiopia, while maintaining support for drought-stricken regions in the south and southeast, alongside flood-affected areas nationwide. Deliberations on the dwindling humanitarian aid and the attendant challenges underscored the urgency of the situation.
Echoing a unified sentiment, development partners stressed the imperative of concurrent humanitarian relief and resilience-building endeavors. Collaboration, alignment, and the cultivation of a robust humanitarian-peace-development nexus emerged as pivotal strategies moving forward. Dr. Ramiz Alkabarov, United Nations Resident Coordinator, and Mr. Paul Walters, UK Development Director, co-chaired the meeting, underscoring its international significance. Ambassadors from various nations and bilateral and multilateral development partners lent their expertise and support to the collective endeavor.