The UN-backed $3.24 billion humanitarian response plan for 2024 is only five per cent funded. 

Organised by the UN along with the Governments of Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, the conference aims to hear commitments that will enhance life-saving aid to approximately 15.5 million people in 2024. An immediate funding of $1 billion is required to sustain aid delivery for the next five months.

The crisis has escalated due to recurring cycles of droughts, floods, and conflict. Food insecurity and malnutrition are anticipated to affect 10.8 million people during the lean season from July to September.

A multi-factor crisis

Around 4.5 million people have been displaced from their homes, raising concerns about public health and protection services. The El Niño phenomenon has worsened drought conditions in the northern highlands, leading to decreased water availability, parched pastures, and reduced harvests. 

Malnutrition rates in many areas including Afar, Amhara, and Tigray continue to worsen, highlighting the critical need for funding.

“Conflicts have destroyed thousands of schools, health facilities, water systems and other community infrastructure. And that adds to the difficulty,” said Ramiz Alakbarov, UN’s Assistant Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, adding that security and safety of humanitarian workers is still an issue in “many parts of Ethiopia”. 

The Ethiopian government has recently endorsed a new national policy for disaster risk management and committed $250 million for food support in the coming months. Additionally, regional governments and the country’s private sector have allocated further domestic resources for emergency response.

Strength in numbers

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, closed the event with an Amharic proverb that translates as “when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion”.

“It suggests that when people come together, as we have done this afternoon, we can accomplish formidable tasks and overcome great challenges”, she added. 

She praised the 21 cash pledges led by the United States which promised $253 million, and the UK with $125 million, saying it showed “the power of unity and collective effort in achieving shared goals” on behalf of the Ethiopian people.

WHO ‘cannot continue’ work without cash injection

Speaking for the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Mike Ryan told the conference a cholera outbreak was now in its 20th month with over 41,000 cases, and malaria cases are already over 1.1 million for the year.

These outbreaks are occurring where millions of people lack access to essential health services with drought and flooding make the situation even worse.

“WHO and our health partners are on the ground, providing life-saving health services”, he said, adding that “without urgent funding we cannot continue. 

“So far this year, we have received only four per cent of the $187 million needed to keep operations going.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres celebrated the achievements and contributions of people of African descent from across the world, while addressing the forum via video message, but also acknowledged existing racial discrimination and inequalities Black people continue to face. 

He said the establishment of the Permanent Forum shows a dedication from the international community to address these injustices. Still, it needs to be backed by significant change for people of African descent globally.

“Now we must build on that momentum to drive meaningful change – by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination – including through reparations; and by taking steps towards the full inclusion of people of African descent in society as equal citizens,” said Mr. Guterres.

‘Formidable convening power’

Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif praised the forum for its “formidable convening power” by meeting for a third high profile session less than two years after becoming operational.

She commended the forum’s planned 70 side events focusing on climate justice, education, health, and more for people of African descent, saying it shows a “remarkable effort, amplifying the reach and impact of our collective commitment.”

Ms. Al-Nashif urged Member States to participate in discussions and act on recommendations derived from them. 

“Only then can we ensure that all civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of people of African descent can be fully realized without discrimination or bias,” she said.

Decade should extend

Ms. Al-Nashif said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, supports the extension of the International Decade for people of African Descent – a time proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2015 to focus on recognition, justice and development. 

During the Permanent Forum, a conversation will be centred around achievement limitations and expectations of the requested second international decade. 

“We look forward to the outcome of the discussions of this session; and we will be following the intergovernmental discussions in relation to the International Decade throughout this year,” said Ms. Al-Nashif.

All reports from the Permanent Forum will be presented to the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in September, as well as the new session of the UN General Assembly, which begins that month.

A fight for change

The Deputy High Commissioner said her office is continuing to look for ways to ensure “the meaningful, inclusive, and safe participation of people of African descent in public life is essential in the fight against systemic racism.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

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Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

Media contact:
marie@apo-opa.com

About APO Group:
Founded in 2007, APO Group (www.APO-opa.com) stands as the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of both private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact in Africa and beyond.

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) has underscored the success of its program aimed at bolstering job opportunities for young people in Cameroon.

At a meeting convened in Yaoundé on April 9, 2024, chaired by Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, the Bank Group’s Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery, stakeholders across various sectors gathered to discuss the Bank’s Program to Support Youth Employability in Cameroon.

The meeting saw significant participation from female entrepreneurs and young graduates who have benefited from work placements in projects financed by the Bank.

The event took place just ahead of the official inauguration of the African Development Bank Group’s regional office for Central Africa, signaling the Bank’s unwavering commitment to regional development.

Alongside young interns engaged in professional immersion within Bank-funded projects, the gathering also brought together male and female entrepreneurs active in agriculture, fishing, livestock, fish farming, and young women supported by the Bank to establish their own businesses. Additionally, managers from project management units were in attendance.

According to Serge N’Guessan, Director General of the Bank Group for Central Africa and head of the Bank’s Country Office in Cameroon, interns are deployed to projects in roles such as disbursement or contract award assistants, assistant engineers for road projects, archivists, among others.

N’Guessan revealed that 284 young individuals had already benefited from 12-month placements, providing them with valuable opportunities to integrate into various workplace settings, including projects funded by the Bank or other donors, as well as the private or public sectors. Notably, seven of them have secured positions within the Ministry of Public Works.

As the program prepares to receive its seventh cohort of interns, it has significantly contributed to integrating the majority of beneficiaries into the workforce.

Dieudonné Toukea, one of the program beneficiaries, shared her experience, underscoring the opportunities afforded by her initial exposure to the workplace, which enabled her to pursue her aspirations in the consultancy field.

“This initial experience really opened up opportunities for my friends and me. It gave me the chance to develop other activities after my placement and look for additional qualifications, which means I can now pursue a career in consultancy. Thank you for the opportunity we were given,” she said.

The participants advocated for the opening up a fund to finance entrepreneurs and for more opportunities to work on Bank projects. Finally, they hoped that the process of creating a web platform for networking with former interns could be speeded up.

Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade reasserted the importance of self-employment, especially for young people and women, emphasizing the Bank Group’s support through initiatives such as AFAWA (Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa). She highlighted collaboration with commercial banks to make access to credit easier for female entrepreneurs, emphasizing their reliability and greater capacity for repaying loans.

“We work with the commercial banks and offer them guarantees that help them to lend to female entrepreneurs. We also organize training for credit managers in banks to raise their awareness about being more open to funding applications submitted by women, since – contrary to popular belief – there is little risk in lending to women and women are best when it comes to repayments,” she stated.

“The project here in Cameroon is unique and I urge you to seize the opportunity, keep training and improve your skills to be even more competitive in the labour market,” the Vice-President of the Bank Group told the young people present. She pointed out that Africa needed to find work for the 12 million jobseekers who joined the labour market every year.

The meeting was also an opportunity for Jeanine Nkodo, coordinator of the Agricultural Value Chain Development Project, to highlight the specific efforts to support female entrepreneurs in this sector.

The Vice-President concluded by speaking about the Bank’s recent adoption of its ten-year strategy, which puts young people and women at the heart of its priorities. She also reaffirmed the Bank’s role as one of Cameroon’s key partners, particularly in terms of infrastructure funding and support for regions in crisis.

The Bank is also keen to support large businesses, particularly in the private sector, to encourage greater openness to young people and women.

“The Bank is open to providing funding to support these interns’ projects to help them integrate into society and the workplace by starting their own businesses,” said the Vice-President.

“We offer guarantees to commercial banks so that they can lend to female entrepreneurs” – Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Media contact:
Romaric Ollo Hien
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is the premier multilateral financing institution dedicated to Africa’s development. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NSF).  The AfDB has a field presence in 44 African countries, with an external office in Japan, and contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member states.

For more information: www.AfDB.org