ERCS Organizes A Panel Discussion
August 21, 2014
By Tizazu Wodaje
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) organized a panel discussion and policy discourse under the theme of Enhancing System and Community Resilience Contemporary Humanitarian Challenges and Prospects for Change and Transformation in Ethiopia on August 16, 2014 at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center.
The panel discussion was held in the presence of more than 150 participants from humanitarian organizations, civil societies, academia, UN and Red Cross Movement members and government institutions.
It was indicated that the objectives of the panel were to scan the humanitarian landscape in Ethiopia and undertake an analysis of the policies, strategies, processes and structures for prevention, preparedness and response; to explore livelihood sustainability looking at food security, health and nutrition, education, and engagement of societies in self-reliance, and to look into policies, strategies, processes and structures that enhance resilience of the people. While officially opening the panel, Dr. Ahmed Reja, President of ERCS, indicated that the panel was commendable as it was an academic exercise which brought together all developmental and humanitarian actors for a continuous exchange of views and best practices on how to better enhance the system and community resilience in Ethiopia. He also said that all government agencies at federal and regional level have provided financial support to the Societys humanitarian services as well as its grassroots initiatives. W/ro Firehiwot worku, Secretary General of ERCS, recalled in her welcoming speech interventions that ERCS had during Italian aggression of war against Ethiopia and as a response to the 1974 and the 1984 drought and famine which left an unforgettable and painful scar consuming millions of lives.
Despite the huge investment and commitment of the government to expand social services in Ethiopia, the nation remains one of the most food insecure countries in the world where one in three people live below the poverty line, W/ro Firehiwot noted quoting the 2014 Humanitarian Requirement Document.
Taking the disaster response experience that ERCS has accumulated over years, the Society is committed to prioritizing holistic, integrated community-led resilience approaches in its long term development interventions, W/ro Firehiwot added.
In her key note speech, Ms. Jill Clements, Country Representative of IFRC in Ethiopia, said the RCRC Movement is calling for a serious shift in mind-set and for all concerned to work together to bring about long-term and sustainable change in the lives of vulnerable people. Ms. Jill Clements underlined the need to invest more in risk management and resilience rather than late response and to scale up successful innovations Ato Tadesse Bekele, Disaster Risk Management Advisor to the State Minister of Agriculture responsible for Disaster Response, and Dr. Meshesha Shewarega, Executive Director at CCRDA made a presentation on the humanitarian landscape in Ethiopia: Charting new avenues for Disaster Risk management.
Mr. David Del Conte, OCHA Deputy Head of Office and Ato Kassa Bedada, Co-manager of African Center for Disaster Risk Management at the Addis Ababa University, made presentations on Enhancing Community Resilience.
W/ro Firehiwot Worku also made a presentation on what ERCS has been doing in terms of resilience building.
Finally, Dr. Costantinous Berhe, facilitator of the panel discussion, has summarized the five major points that have been identified in the discussions.
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) organized a panel discussion and policy discourse under the theme of Enhancing System and Community Resilience Contemporary Humanitarian Challenges and Prospects for Change and Transformation in Ethiopia on August 16, 2014 at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center.
The panel discussion was held in the presence of more than 150 participants from humanitarian organizations, civil societies, academia, UN and Red Cross Movement members and government institutions.
It was indicated that the objectives of the panel were to scan the humanitarian landscape in Ethiopia and undertake an analysis of the policies, strategies, processes and structures for prevention, preparedness and response; to explore livelihood sustainability looking at food security, health and nutrition, education, and engagement of societies in self-reliance, and to look into policies, strategies, processes and structures that enhance resilience of the people. While officially opening the panel, Dr. Ahmed Reja, President of ERCS, indicated that the panel was commendable as it was an academic exercise which brought together all developmental and humanitarian actors for a continuous exchange of views and best practices on how to better enhance the system and community resilience in Ethiopia. He also said that all government agencies at federal and regional level have provided financial support to the Societys humanitarian services as well as its grassroots initiatives. W/ro Firehiwot worku, Secretary General of ERCS, recalled in her welcoming speech interventions that ERCS had during Italian aggression of war against Ethiopia and as a response to the 1974 and the 1984 drought and famine which left an unforgettable and painful scar consuming millions of lives.
Despite the huge investment and commitment of the government to expand social services in Ethiopia, the nation remains one of the most food insecure countries in the world where one in three people live below the poverty line, W/ro Firehiwot noted quoting the 2014 Humanitarian Requirement Document.
Taking the disaster response experience that ERCS has accumulated over years, the Society is committed to prioritizing holistic, integrated community-led resilience approaches in its long term development interventions, W/ro Firehiwot added.
In her key note speech, Ms. Jill Clements, Country Representative of IFRC in Ethiopia, said the RCRC Movement is calling for a serious shift in mind-set and for all concerned to work together to bring about long-term and sustainable change in the lives of vulnerable people. Ms. Jill Clements underlined the need to invest more in risk management and resilience rather than late response and to scale up successful innovations Ato Tadesse Bekele, Disaster Risk Management Advisor to the State Minister of Agriculture responsible for Disaster Response, and Dr. Meshesha Shewarega, Executive Director at CCRDA made a presentation on the humanitarian landscape in Ethiopia: Charting new avenues for Disaster Risk management.
Mr. David Del Conte, OCHA Deputy Head of Office and Ato Kassa Bedada, Co-manager of African Center for Disaster Risk Management at the Addis Ababa University, made presentations on Enhancing Community Resilience.
W/ro Firehiwot Worku also made a presentation on what ERCS has been doing in terms of resilience building.
Finally, Dr. Costantinous Berhe, facilitator of the panel discussion, has summarized the five major points that have been identified in the discussions.