USAID Launches $70m Fight Against Malnutrition

Feb 10 , 2024


[ssba-buttons]

A 70 million-dollar project to fight against malnutrition in Ethiopia was launched by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) last week. Dubbed "Feed the Future", the project will be implemented by Family Health International 360(FHI 360), a non-profit human development organization for women and children in 155 Woredas in Afar, Amhara, Oromiya, Sidama, Somalia, and the Southern Regional States. Lia Tadesse(MD), on her last day as a minister of Health, inaugurated the project alongside USAID's mission director, Scott Hocklander, at the Sky Light Hotel on Airport Rd. The minister revealed six months ago that pervasive thefts of therapeutic foods and nutritional supplements intended for malnourished children are critically undermining efforts to provide life-saving assistance to millions nationwide. With Malnutrition becoming a widespread issue, Scott hailed the project's ambitious goal to break the intergenerational malnutrition plight in Ethiopia. A report published by the United Nations last year revealed 34pc of Ethiopian children under five suffer from stunting, while 6.2pc are victims of wasting. A staggering  28pc of child deaths in the country are associated with under-nutrition, while 21pc are underweight.


Radar

Somali Region Advances Budget Independence as Revenues Rise

Somali Regional State is moving closer to fiscal independence, with nearly half its budget now funded locally. Officials point to rising agricultural output and stronger tax enforcement as key drivers behind growing revenues. The region plans to cover 32.5 billion Br from its own resources in the upcoming fiscal year. Communication Head Mohammed Abdi credited last year's tax collection of 18 billion Br, exceeding the 17 billion Br target, to agriculture, khat, and other taxable goods. The reg...


Radar

Environmental Protection Authority Shuts Down Polluters

Addis Abeba's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has taken enforcement action against 3,249 manufacturers and service providers found violating environmental standards in the 2024/25 fiscal year. The violations, ranging from air and noise pollution to improper waste disposal, were identified during inspections of 14,872 businesses citywide. Penalties included warnings and closures, with shutdown orders issued to six plastic factories, 23 block factories, a soft paper plant, 102 nightclu...


Radar

Ministry Mandates Full Electronic Clearance for Top Taxpayers

Taxpayers under the Ministry of Revenues' Medium No. 1 branch will have to ditch paper filings and switch entirely to the e-Clearance system for non-audited services starting August 1, 2025. The mandate, routed through the Ministry's e-filing portal, is pitched as part of a broader push to modernise tax administration and advance the government's digital agenda. Officials say the platform lets users process clearance requests remotely via the Fayda national ID, cutting out manual paperwork. A...