缅北禁地

31 January 2016 鈥� The international community must stand with the people of Ethiopia in their time of need,听听Ban Ki-moon said today, urging donors gathered in Addis Ababa to step up assistance to the country, before heading to the drought-stricken region of Oromia where he witnessed first-hand efforts under way to battle the effects of one of the most powerful El Ni帽o events in recorded history.

鈥淭he people of this beautiful country are facing their worst drought in thirty years,鈥� Mr. Ban听at a donors humanitarian round table convened in the Ethiopian capital in the margins of the 26th African Union Summit.

Later in the day, the Secretary-General听听the drought-stricken Oromia region with the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, and Ertharin Cousin, the Executive Director of the 缅北禁地World Food Programme (). Saying that he was 鈥渧ery moved,鈥� Mr. Ban visited a health post, a water borehole and a food distribution and cash transfer point.

鈥淭his is a very moving experience for me as Secretary-General to witness myself how the Ethiopian Government and the United Nations agencies, the World Bank, all humanitarian workers are working together to address difficult challenges,鈥� he said noting that the area has been seriously impacted by long spells of drought caused by El Ni帽o climate phenomenon. 鈥淚t is important that the Government is leading this response and the United Nations is now helping: it is quite moving,鈥� he reiterated.

The Secretary-General went on to say that when he saw the people working and trying to get water and trying to improve their health nutrition conditions, it took him back brought more than 60 years ago 鈥渨hen [鈥�] I was a young boy in Korea, early 1950s. As you may know, Korea had war at the time. When the war broke out, we were [in a situation] as difficult as people are now here, even more difficult at the time.鈥�

He said he was very much grateful to all humanitarian workers at the small health post where he had seen health workers distributing vaccines, and providing check-ups. It was impressive to see that malnutrition levels had dropped significantly and that people had been saved from malaria.

鈥淭he United Nations is committed to help Ethiopia to overcome this challenge. This challenge may last some time but with continuous concerted efforts, I think we can overcome 鈥� and I am very much moved to have seen how hard we are working,鈥� said Mr. Ban.

In the Ethiopian capital, he told the donors' meeting that the scale of the emergency is too much for any single Government. 鈥淭he impact of El Ni帽o is unpredictable, but experts say it is likely to affect food security for the next two years,鈥� he stressed.

鈥淭he Government of Ethiopia has shown remarkable leadership in this drought response. It has made the greatest financial contribution, allocating more than $381 million to the crisis so far,鈥� said the 缅北禁地chief, noting that the Government-managed Productive Safety Net Programme, in partnership with the World Bank, aims to assist some eight million people with emergency food and cash transfers.

Yet, while the United Nations boosted early action through some $25 million from the 缅北禁地Central Emergency Response Fund () in 2015, more is urgently needed. 鈥淚mmediate support for Ethiopia will save lives and avoid preventable suffering. Immediate support will also safeguard the impressive development gains that Ethiopia has made over the past years and decades, Mr. Ban explained.

Such support would also strengthen Ethiopia's national distribution channels and social support networks, and build resilience for the future, he underscored.

Noting that the听听() agreed by 缅北禁地Member States last year are based on the promise to leave no one behind, the Secretary-General said that humanitarian crises are the main reason why some 100 million people are currently 鈥渓eft far behind,鈥� in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere.

鈥淭he听听in Istanbul on 23 and 24 May will be an opportunity to ensure that we start supporting those furthest behind first,鈥� he noted and expressed the hope that the participants at today's event are already engaged in the Summit process. 鈥淲e need to hear your voices in Istanbul,鈥� he said.

By contributing to humanitarian aid, donors are helping to fulfil the international community's pledge to the most vulnerable. Support for the Ethiopian Government and people through the current crisis will be a critical test of our commitment to implementing the SDGs, stressed the 缅北禁地chief.

鈥淲e face unrelenting humanitarian needs around the world. Many are generated by conflict and displacement. These human-made crises are extremely difficult to resolve and can last for years or even decade,鈥� he noted, but stressed that the needs generated by El Ni帽o are limited. 鈥淲e know it will pass, and the situation will improve. This crisis will end.鈥�

鈥淯ntil it does, I urge you to make the investment that is needed now, to support the Ethiopian Government and people through the difficult times ahead, and to build for the future,鈥� said the Secretary-General.