The Norwegian Government wants to support efforts using the schools of Ethiopia as a development tool, says the Norwegian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mr. Jens-Petter Kjemprud in a comment, adding that the issue of childrens’ right to food and education is essential if the Millenium Development Goal on hunger reduction is to be achieved. Providing school meals to children in food insecure areas will help increase enrolment, reduce the drop-out rate and reduce the gender gap, thereby enabling more children to come to school and to stay in school long enough for the learning to have a lasting impact, Mr. Kjemprud said.
The Norwegian Governments’ development work in Ethiopia is focused on human rights, regional stability and food security, and the Norwegian Embassy in Ethiopia will follow up on these issues in the coming years by coalition building, project support and dialogue.
Royal Norwegian Embassy, 5 December 2006
For more information, contact Mr Øyvind Dahl at the Royal Norwegian Embassy:
Phone: 011 371 07 99 / cell: 0911 68 38 24.