OCHA Operations director welcomes Eritrea's commitment to progress, calls on
international community to support
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from <
http://reliefweb.int/organization/ocha> UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Published on 20 Nov 2012
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(New York, 20 November 2012): Following a two-day visit to Eritrea, OCHA
Operations Director John Ging has called on the international community to
support the country as it strives to end hunger and enhance livelihoods
resilience to severe climatic conditions.
During his visit, Mr. Ging met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr.
Osman Salih, the Minister of National Development, Dr. Giorgish
Teeklemichael, and the Political Advisor to the President, Mr. Yemani
Gebreab, as well as humanitarian partners and representatives of the donor
community. He was pleased to hear of the renewed partnership between the
Government and humanitarian and development actors, which will soon be
finalized through a Strategic Partnership Cooperation Framework for 2013 to
2016. He highlighted that humanitarian action can help provide Eritrea with
a solid foundation for development and that, working together, the
Government, humanitarians and development actors can build the resilience of
Eritrean communities to withstand shocks and cope with climate change.
Mr. Ging was briefed on Eritrea's impressive progress towards the Millennium
Development Goals - most particularly reducing child mortality, improving
maternal health and combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. "We
must do all that we can to support these efforts," said Mr. Ging.
Visiting the villages of Embeyto and Kodadu, John Ging saw first-hand the
benefits of a water project implemented jointly by UNICEF, the Ministry of
Land, Water and Environment, the Regional Infrastructure Department and the
community. The project provides nearly 2,000 people with access to safe and
adequate drinking water and is maintained by a local water and sanitation
committee involving equal numbers of men and women. Mr. Ging also visited a
health centre just outside Asmara City, where he met children receiving
therapeutic feeding for malnutrition.
"Malnutrition is something no child should have to experience," said Mr.
Ging. "It causes unspeakable physical pain and impairs cognitive
development. I am deeply impressed by the community's efforts to monitor
this problem and to refer all those in need to centres such as the one I
saw, where they receive comprehensive care from dedicated and diligent
professionals. Yet, more must be done. Working together, we can build food
security and enhance nutrition amongst the Eritrean population, supporting
the Government in their efforts to halve the number of people in hunger by
2015."
Received on Tue Nov 20 2012 - 22:41:06 EST
