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A30 world news
Diaranson 26 Januari 2022

WHO chief makes case for 2nd term as Ethiopia criticizes him

accusing Tedros of “miscon- to them has been “robust” But he was interrupted by the
duct” after his sharp criticism and his commitment to pre- chairman, who said the dip-
of the war and the humani- venting such exploitation, lomatic complaint issued by
tarian crisis in the Horn of abuse and harassment “with Ethiopia had been set aside
Africa country. The govern- a victim- and survivor-cen- earlier by the board and was
ment nominated him for the tered approach is iron clad.” not up for discussion.
job in 2017, but has since ac-
cused him of interfering in Many countries have ignored Kebede was given back the
Ethiopia’s internal affairs, and or rejected WHO advice on floor, resumed his statement,
claims he has “not lived up to ways to tackle COVID-19, and was cut off again.
the integrity and professional such as its calls to avoid blan-
expectations required from ket travel restrictions, or its The Ethiopian government
his office.” calls to share vaccines and the claims Tedros is an active
technological know-how to member of the Tigray Peo-
His current term as WHO’s make them with less devel- ple’s Liberation Front. Tedros
top official — perhaps the oped nations. was Ethiopia’s foreign minis-
(AP) — World Health Or- takes place in May. highest-profile job in global ter and health minister when
ganization chief Tedros health — has been over- On Monday, Ethiopian gov- the TPLF dominated the
Adhanom Ghebreyesus Recently, Tedros, an ethnic shadowed by the COVID-19 ernment spokesman Legesse country’s ruling coalition.
laid out more plans Tues- Tigrayan, has come under pandemic. Under Tedros, Tulu said a WHO official
day to fight the virus as he new criticism from Ethio- WHO faced sharp criticism had indicated it would post- On Tuesday, Tedros didn’t
pitched his case for a new pia’s government, which has from former U.S. President pone a decision to investigate refer to the complaints from
five-year term and faced been fighting militants in Donald Trump over its early Tedros. Ethiopia’s government.
criticism from his own Tigray, for his comments on handling of the crisis and has
country — Ethiopia — Twitter and elsewhere that faced pressure over its ap- “If this is the case, it really “Five years ago, you, the
over his comments about condemned Ethiopia’s block- proach to China, where the shows the partiality of WHO. member states, gave me the
the embattled Tigray re- ade of international access to outbreak first emerged two It opposes its basic principles honor of my life when you
gion. Tigray. He said WHO had years ago. of foundation. We still insist placed your trust in me to
not been allowed to send any on this esteem organization lead and transform this vi-
Tedros, who like many Ethio- humanitarian aid to the re- Last year, independent inves- to investigate the case,” Tulu tally important global orga-
pians goes by his first name, is gion since July, and has called tigators turned up dozens of told The Associated Press. nization,” he said. “I told you
running unopposed for a sec- for “unfettered” humanitar- cases of sexual abuse and ex- then that my priority was to
ond term as WHO director- ian access to Tigray, whose ploitation in Congo during Ethiopia’s ambassador in Ge- listen. And that is what I have
general. That makes his pre- people are facing enormous a WHO-led response to an neva, Zenebe Kebede, sought tried to do.”
sentation to the U.N. health hunger amid the war. Ebola outbreak there in 2019. to criticize Tedros for using
agency’s executive board a bit his office to advance “his per- “I remain completely com-
of a formality, since he is all Ethiopia’s government, in Tedros said Tuesday he was sonal political interest” as the mitted to serving your mem-
but certain to win re-election a Jan. 14 news release, said “horrified” by those reports, weeklong executive board ber states and your people,”
when the WHO Assembly it had sent a letter to WHO saying the agency’s response session began on Monday. Tedros added.

Afghan talks focus on aid, women’s rights as hunger grows

(AP) — Three days of hunger and nearly 9 million taking part in the talks. stan in August — opened on the U.S., Britain, France,
talks between the Taliban, are on the brink of starva- Sunday with talks between Italy and host Norway.
Western diplomats and tion. People have resorted “We cannot save lives as we the Taliban and members of
other delegates on hu- to selling possessions to buy should. So the West and the Afghan civil society. The fol- Tuesday’s talks were bilateral,
manitarian aid to Afghan- food, burning furniture for Taliban need to talk. And we lowing day they held multi- involving all parties includ-
istan and human rights warmth and even selling need to have an end to sanc- lateral talks involving West- ing independent humanitar-
were wrapping up Tues- their children. tions hurting civilians,” he ern diplomats from the EU, ian organizations.
day in Norway, with act- said.
ing Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi said the Taliban
Khan Muttaqi praising the government will do “its best But before they will agree
discussions, which he said to protect Afghanistan form to relax sanctions, Western
“went very well.” any sorts of problems, at- powers are demanding in-
tract more assistance, seeking creased rights for Afghan
The closed-door meetings in solutions for the economic women and girls, along with
the snow-capped mountains problems.” the West’s recurring demand
above the Norwegian capital for the Taliban administra-
of Oslo came at a crucial time The Taliban are demanding tion to share power with Af-
for Afghanistan, as freez- that $10 billion frozen by the ghanistan’s minority ethnic
ing temperatures are com- United States and other West- and religious groups.
pounding the misery from ern countries be released, but
the country’s downward eco- there is no agreement on that The new Afghan rulers told
nomic spiral after the fall of so far. The United Nations The Associated Press last
the U.S.-backed government has managed to provide some week they aim to have schools
and the Taliban takeover last liquidity and allowed the Tal- open for girls and women in
summer. iban administration to pay for late March, after the Afghan
imports, including electricity. new year. They repeated that
“It was a very good trip. Such “The No. 1 problem now is promise in Oslo, according
trips will bring us closer to that Western sanctions are to Egeland, who met with
the world,” Muttaqi told The creating a liquidity crisis, the Taliban delegation led by
Associated Press. which means we cannot get acting Foreign Minister Amir
aid funding into the country,” Khan Muttaqi.
Aid groups and international said Jan Egeland, secretary-
agencies estimate that about general of the Norwegian The visit — the first in Eu-
23 million people, more than Refugee Council, one of the rope since the Taliban re-
half the country, face severe humanitarian organizations gained control of Afghani-