From survivors of rape to young women entrepreneurs, the听UN听Deputy Secretary-General has spent the听week听meeting some of听those whose lives have been upended by听conflict in Ethiopia,听but also听hearing听stories听of听hope听that point towards the 鈥渋ndispensable鈥� value of听a return to听lasting听peace听across the African nation.
Following听the听, where she represented the听Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed left on Sunday听for听Amhara, one of northern regions affected by听the violence听which erupted in听November 2020, between Government forces and those allied with听separatists in听Tigray.听
She met with a range of people, including the Vice President of听Amhara, and witnessed first-hand听how the United Nations is trying to听assist those most听in need.听
鈥淭here is a lot of work that has been done here for us to try to help the people of Amhara. But听what is clear is that the price for conflict is too high, and therefore, peace is indispensable鈥�, she said, offering the Organization鈥檚听continued听support.
Across all three conflict-affected regions of the north,听听now need humanitarian food assistance, the highest number so far, since听the conflict began.
School destroyed
Throughout the day, she听saw听how听hospitals, markets, schools听and听farms听have听been destroyed听by conflict over the听last 15听months,听and听saw for herself the hardship being faced by local people as a result.听
She听met听with听a group of students from a high school听in听Kombolcha,听badly damaged during the fighting.听Until very recently, the school,听established 45 years ago, was considered one of the best in the country.听
But then war came.听
Speaking to Ms. Mohammed, a student leader听recalled how devastated they were when they听found out听their听classrooms听had become the latest casualty of the conflict.听
鈥淭he high school has produced a lot of people who have made remarkable contributions to the country and earned respect from Ethiopians.听Members of the community contributed from their听meagre听income,听to add more facilities to the school,听so that we get quality education鈥�,听the student听recalled.
Now, she said, none of them听can听make any contribution to rebuilding and furnishing听new study areas, as they听are听struggling to make ends meet.
鈥淲e need your support to rebuild our school鈥�, she said.听
Tigray
The Deputy Secretary-General听then left Amhara for Tigray, where听the听clashes first erupted between federal Government troops and forces loyal to the Tigray People鈥檚 Liberation Front (TPLF).
She听discussed听options for a peaceful resolution to the fighting,听with the听regional President,听and the听benefits that would present听to all Ethiopians,听and听also听visited听Ayder听Hospital.
The health centre, located in the capital of the region,听Mekelle,听is听supported by the UN听Population Fund (), the sexual and reproductive health agency,听and听provides holistic support听for听rape survivors.
鈥淭his is an experience,听to see the whole of the psychological effects and physical effects of rape on women 鈥� the care鈥�,听Ms. Mohammed听said.听
For听her,听the most听heart-breaking part of the visit听were听the听individual stories of survival.
鈥淭hose stories need to be told. We need to know that in conflict, there are no winners. In fact, those that this falls most on,听are women and children鈥�, she said.听
Healthcare
The Deputy Secretary-General听met听one of the doctors,听who recalled how gloves听used to be abundantly available, but听now听the supply is听simply running out.
鈥淲e wash them over, sterilize them and send them back to use again. The same thing with the test tubes. We ran out of test tubes with anticoagulants. So,听we are trying to reprocess them鈥�,听he said.听
Ethiopia has managed to maintain one of the lowest rates of听鈥痠n East Africa, but that work has now become much harder.听
In the last few months, many kits for听HIV diagnosis have expired. The team is now trying to check whether they can still be used. In the meantime, they received the go ahead to use what they have, because there is no alternative.
鈥淒octors have found it so difficult to get used to this situation. this is a man-made conflict. We are hoping to scale up and take care of them a little bit more鈥�, the doctor said.听
Relentless drought in Somali
On听Monday,听Ms. Mohammed visited the conflict-affected regions of听Afar and Somali, where she听was听joined by听Ethiopia鈥檚 President,听Sahle-Work听Zewde.听
Along with three other lowland regions,听Somali鈥痠s currently suffering from a prolonged drought.鈥疻ater wells have dried up, killing livestock and crops, and pushing hundreds of thousands of children and their families to the brink.
The relentless drought will leave听听people in need of听urgent humanitarian assistance by mid-March.听
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Catherine听Sozi, told UN News that, in 2021, allocations by the organization to Somali region for aid to those most in need was over $18 million. An additional $20 million will be allocated to the region听this month.
鈥淚n addition to providing humanitarian assistance, we are looking at the reasons why people are being displaced in the first place and will find long-term sustainable solutions, addressing the root causes鈥�, she explained.听
Displaced
During her听time in Somali, the听Deputy Secretary-General met听with听the President of the region,听but also听pastoralists, displaced people, and community leaders.听
One of those听displaced,听is听Nimu听Mohammed, 45听years old,听and听a mother of nine.听
She recalled how she lost livestock and pasture, and, as the drought got worse, she was forced to leave her village with her three younger children, leaving behind听the听other six.听
In听Kebrebeyeh, she found a welcoming community, despite the difficulties听they all face.
鈥淭hey are sharing with us what they have. However, the challenges of the drought are beyond the capacity of our host community. We need food, water and other essential support immediately鈥�, she said.听
Underscoring the impact of climate change, the听Deputy Secretary-General encouraged the region鈥檚听president to look beyond agriculture,听to听innovations that could increase water supply and听help restore prosperity to the area.鈥�
She听also听commended the Somali听people听for听maintaining听peace听across their region, noting that听they provided听an example for other countries in Africa and the world to follow.鈥�
鈥淲hat we have seen in Somali is that we need to do more to save lives, but also more to save livelihoods and to build a prosperous region, a prosperous Ethiopia. And for that, we need a partnership. The United Nations cannot do it alone鈥�,听she said.听鈥�
Ms. Mohammed鈥檚听hope is that the trip will highlight the听existing听needs;听and听that听future听partnerships听can听bring听more听investment, not just aid听to the听region.听
Creative Hub
On Tuesday,听she听returned to the country鈥檚 capital, Addis Ababa, to hear the stories of听young women entrepreneurs.听
They are all part of a听Creative Hub听supported by the UN Industrial Development Organization ().
Speaking to the women, she reminded them听of听the strength they听possess through sticking together and supporting each other.
鈥淲hat I like about the spirit here is you are not waiting for anyone to tell you how to do it. You are just saying, 鈥榞ive me the opportunity to create the environment and I can do it. I can grow it. I can be so much bigger and better.鈥� And this is exciting鈥�, Ms. Mohammed said.听
Faces of hope
One of the participants听in the meeting听was听Lidia Million, Founder and General Manager of听Linu听Manufacturing PLC, a company that听produces leather products.听
After听overcoming听many challenges to become competitive in the international market, she and nine other entrepreneurs formed an association known as LOMI, inspired by the Amharic proverb 鈥�50 lemons, a burden for one person but jewellery for 50.鈥�
鈥淲orking under this cluster has helped us a lot鈥�, she said, explaining how the听hub听facilitated听access to听training,听new technologies, facilities,听markets听and networks.
鈥淭hat make us competitive in the international market and collectively respond to the growing demands to our products鈥�, she听added.听
Listening to听their听stories, looking at the faces filled with excitement, what Ms. Mohammed saw was听hope,听she said,听a belief听that 鈥渢he powerhouse of Ethiopia can be felt on the continent and beyond in other听regions.鈥澨�
