The UNCT in Ethiopia, being the largest UN Country Team in Africa with 25 members, has been providing strategic support in its endeavors towards poverty reduction through important national processes, such as to the ongoing Government five-year development plan entitled the Plan for Accelerated and Sustainable Development to End Poverty (PASDEP), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), as well as projects and programs.
Positive trends in macro and socio economic indicators are witnessed as a result of the implemented policies and strategies that are geared towards poverty reduction. Ethiopia’s per capital income growth has, over the past half-decade, exceeded the average for sub-Saharan Africa. Being among the 6 pilot MDG Needs Assessment countries, Ethiopia continued recording progress towards the goals. Currently, the Country ranks among the few developing countries likely to achieve most of the MDGs targets. Progress has also been made in harmonizing the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) with the PASDEP, fully costing it and making the necessary budgetary provisions. Encouraging results have also been achieved towards increased recognition of human rights priorities in the country by Government, civil Society, private sector and other key stakeholders.
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework, (UNDAF 2007 – 2011) remains the key development framework in the UN agencies’ engagements with the Government. Its five key strategic areas (Humanitarian Response, Recovery and Food Security; Basic Social Services and Human Resources; HIV/AIDS; Good Governance; and Enhanced Economic Growth) guide the UNCT’s responses to Government’s priorities as highlighted in the PASDEP.
The effort of the UN agencies to deliver as ONE has received a big boost with the signing of the harmonized Country Programme Action Plans (CPAPs) of all EXCOM Agencies at a joint ceremony with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED). This, coupled with the finalization of Joint Annual Work Plans (AWPs) by the various UN agencies, set the stage for an effective delivery of UN supported activities guided by a Programme Implementation Manual.
UNCT provided financial and technical support to Government and key Stakeholders on reporting to human rights treaty bodies. To that effect, a National Conference on the “Implementation of Reporting Obligations under International Human Rights Instruments ratified by Ethiopia’ was organized in October 2007 jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission.
In collaboration with other donors, the UN, through the Democratic Institution Programme is strengthening several democratic institutions in Ethiopia including: the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC); the Ethiopian Institute of the Ombudsman (EIO); the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC); The House of the Federation (HoF) and Regional Councils of Nationalities; the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) and Regional State Councils and the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE).
It should be noted that with the view of strengthening capacity, the expertise of specialized Agencies were deployed to assist Government in technical areas including health, education, culture, migration, agricultures, descent labor, gender equality. National UN Volunteers were deployed to support the government particularly in emerging regions and districts. Currently, Ethiopia has the largest number of National UN Volunteers in Africa.
The UN is also providing key support to the Government in addressing humanitarian challenges including in the area of food, health, nutrition and water and sanitation and needed assistance to the refugees from neighboring countries.
Ethiopia is also a pilot country for the OECD DAC Harmonization agenda. In this regard, both Government and a majority of international partners are keen in deepening the harmonization process in the spirit of the Rome and Paris Declarations. Donors provide financing for coordination through the Development Assistance Group (DAG). The UNCT is host to (DAG) secretariat which is responsible for coordinating and promoting greater aid effectiveness and harmonization.
Notwithstanding, the success achieved by Ethiopia including an average 11% economic growth rate for the past four consecutive years, reduction in poverty from 46% to 39%, a number of key challenges remain to be addressed. The country needs to ensure sustained high economic growth; address rising inflationary pressures, manage high population growth, combat HIV/AIDS, improve the quality of education, build capacity at different levels, strengthen good governance and decentralization process.
The UN has also provided important support to address the humanitarian challenges in Ethiopia including the impact of the 2006 flood.
In the upcoming years, UNCT will support Ethiopia to address the above development challenges. It will further look into structural and functional changes needed to operate effectively by reinforcing a much stronger system with wide coherence across the various agencies and deliver as ONE.
Fidele Sarassoro
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ethiopia |