ETHIOPIA: EU Parliamentarian Encourages Catholic Church to Support Pastoralists
Mrs. Michele Rivasi, Member of EU Parliament
Member of European Parliament Mrs. Michele Rivasi has encouraged the Catholic Church’s plans to support pastoralists in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Catholic Church’s Social and Development Commission and the Coalition of European Lobbies For Eastern African Pastoralism (CELEP) organized a visit for Mrs. Rivasi to the local cattle market in Addis Ababa known Kerea Beret on 1 November 2019. She was accompanied by Mr Bekele Moges, Executive Director of the commission.
Mr. Bekele explained that 14 – 18% of the country’s population are pastoralists found in 122 districts of the country.
He said that livestock trade subsector contributes an estimated 12% of the country’s Global Domestic Product (GDP) in Ethiopia’s economic market value, of which 20% of cattle, 75% of goats, 25% of the sheep and 100% of camel herd traded belong to the pastoralists.
He stated that it is very important to address the challenges of the pastoralist community in a way that is respectful of their culture and way of living.
The Commission is currently working with Misereor to support pastoralists in such a way and the visit organized for Mrs. Rivasi is part of the effort to create awareness about the importance of supporting pastoralists in the European Union.
According to a recent Wold Bank Report, Ethiopia’s GDP is described as decelerating, with approximately 109 million people. The country has a mixed economy with a large public sector and a relatively underdeveloped private sector.
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By Makeda Yohannes, ECS Communications and PR Officer
