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UNODC Supporting Transformation, Peace and Security in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 25 March 2022 – Thanks to funding by the Government of Japan – UNODC officially handed over office equipment to support and strengthen the operational capacity of the Directorate on Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism of the Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Justice to effectively prosecute Serious and Transnational Organized Crime at a ceremony event held at Ethiopia Ministry of Justice at Lideta, Addis Ababa.

Opening the ceremony, Mr Johan Kruger, head of UNODC Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit trafficking and Terrorism Programmes, emphasized the importance of building the capacity of Member States in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting serious and transnational organized crime including through inter-agency and international cooperation.

The event was presided by the Japan Deputy Ambassador H.E. Mr Ida, the Ethiopia State Minister of Justice, H.E. Mr Fikadu Tsega, and UNODC Regional Representative Mr Neil Walsh as well as different heads of directorates from the ministry and colleagues from the UNODC Ethiopia office.

Eastern Africa including Ethiopia continues to be confronted with serious and evolving threats of transnational organized crimes and terrorism which threatens peace and security and undermines economic and social development in the region and the country. Mr Neil J. Walsh, UNODC Regional Representative for Eastern Africa emphasized that identifying and supporting specific material and capacity needs was a crucial element for UNODC in ensuring that Ethiopia and the directorate were well-positioned to provide specialized support and expertise as required to the people of Ethiopia.

At the ceremony, Mr Neil J. Walsh, UNODC Regional Representative for Eastern Africa – together with Mr Ida, Deputy Ambassador from the Embassy of Japan to Ethiopia – officially handed over the equipment to Mr Fikadu Tsega, State Minister of the Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Justice.

In his keynote address, Mr Tsega welcomed and thanked UNODC for its support to the Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Justice, through various engagements and activities over the past years. He also appreciated the commitment by UNODC and the Government of Japan to continue supporting the offices and different directorates. Further, Mr Tsega emphasized the importance of continuous support and reiterated the importance of partnership and cooperation needed to address and combat serious and transnational organized crime.

The items were procured as part of the “Supporting Transformation, Peace and Security in the Horn of Africa” funded by the Government of Japan, and included office desks, chairs, conference tables, cabinets, sofas, desktop computers, laptop computers with accessories, fax machine and a printer including toners.

The goal of the project is to contribute with immediate tangible measures to conditions furthering peace and stability through secure trade and connectivity in the Horn of Africa region and particular Eritrea and Ethiopia, by enhancing the security of the movement of people, goods, services and across boundaries to and from selected international entry ports (land, sea and air), and improving the criminal justice process in the countries of the region. The project also aims to enhance the understanding of the threat posed by transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking and terrorism in the Horn of Africa as the region strengthen trade ties and cross-border engagements.

The equipment handed over will further enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Justice to Counter Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism and UNODC will continue to support the Government of Ethiopia under its respective mandate by providing and delivering more capacity building training workshops and mentoring to the special prosecution units.

The “Supporting Transformation, Peace and Security in the Horn of Africa” project is delivered as part of the UNODC Countering Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Programmes and implemented within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for Eastern Africa (2016-2022) – Promoting the Rule of Law.

For more information please contact:

Mr Johan Kruger (johan.kruger@un.org)

Head of Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Programmes

UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa