The new UNFPA Country Representative, Dennia Gayle, discussed issues of cooperation with the Government of Ethiopia when she presented today her credentials to H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

Appreciating the support of UNFPA to fulfil the needs of women who have fled to Sudan due to the conflict in the Tigray Region, Demeke indicated that the Ethiopian government is making every effort to protect civilians in its law enforcement preoccupation in the Region. He also talked about the humanitarian aid the federal Government is supporting in Tigray and added that work is also underway to rehabilitate and restore infrastructure destroyed during the war.

On her part Dennia Gayle talked about UNFPA Ethiopia’s Preparedness and Response Plan to alleviate the humanitarian situation in the Tigray and neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara. She noted that the needs of the women and girls affected by the humanitarian situation will be addressed in the six months intervention, especially focusing on mitigation of gender-based violence and provision of access to life-saving health and protection services.

UNFPA's development assistance to Ethiopia began in 1973 and it has since implemented eight five-year Country Programme cycles. Currently UNFPA is implementing its 9th Country Programme cycle in selected districts in 9 Regions of Ethiopia. The Programme aims at ending preventable maternal deaths; ending unmet need for family planning; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls; and enabling a demographic transition for attaining sustainable development.