Board Calls for Stronger Disaster Response Capacity
The Southern Ethiopia Regional Branch Governing Board of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) has called for enhanced efforts to strengthen branch offices’ capacity to respond effectively to both natural and human-made disasters.
The Board held a meeting in Arba Minch Town with heads of zonal branch offices, coordination offices, and the regional branch leadership to review progress and discuss priorities for the remaining period of the fiscal year.
During the meeting, the Head of the Regional Branch, Ato Amanuel Ayza, presented a comprehensive report on the branch’s nine-month performance, highlighting achievements and challenges in membership mobilization, resource mobilization, disaster preparedness, and emergency response activities.
Board members emphasized the need for all branch and coordination offices to intensify membership and resource mobilization efforts during the remaining 30 days of the fiscal year. They stressed that strengthening local capacities is essential for branches to respond to disasters independently and effectively.
The Board further underscored the importance of ensuring that all coordination and branch offices achieve satisfactory performance levels, with a target of no less than 70 percent of their annual plans. Members reaffirmed their commitment to providing continued support to zonal branches, coordination offices, and the regional branch to help achieve these goals.
In addition, the Board urged the establishment of coordination offices in zones where they have not yet been opened and called for eligible coordination offices to be upgraded to branch office status in accordance with the Society’s organizational guidelines.
The meeting also recognized the valuable service of former Regional Branch Head, Ato Tesfaye Dunda, who voluntarily stepped down from his position. He was honored and presented with a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his outstanding contributions and dedicated service during his tenure.
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