Blog Archive

Secrets to Change and Greatness

Posted by UN Dispatch on November 21, 2008

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA--It's something of an understatement to say that President-elect Barack Obama is admired here in Ethiopia. Outside the UNICEF headquarters, a young street vendor was hawking bootleg copies of Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. I passed on the DVD, but did pick up the Ethiopian version of Dreams From My Father. According to an Amharic speaking friend the Ethiopian publisher took some liberties with the title, which literally translates as "Secrets to Change and Greatness."

Running With Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Haille Gebrselassie

Posted by UN Dispatch on November 21, 2008

ON A MOUNTAIN OVERLOOKING ADDIS ABABA - Running is the national sport of Ethiopia. It is also a favorite activity of Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. So, naturally, when he visited Addis for this week's meeting of the Africa Commission, Prime Minister Rasmussen made a point to meet the current world record holding marathoner Haille Gebreselassie for a morning jog. Rasmussen is clearly in better shape than his security detail. But he's no match for Gebreselassie, who ran the Berlin Marathon in under 2 hours, 4 minutes.

Here's Gebreselassie explaining the finer points of running at 2,800 meters above sea level to a very winded Prime Minister of Denmark.

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Get the conversation started with youth

Posted by Nothing but Nets on November 21, 2008

Last week, I participated in a Nothing But Nets event that took place on UCLA’s campus.  The event was akin to a youth camp – it was fun and games, but there was also a deeper purpose behind it and the kids didn’t spend the night.

The students, ranging from sixth to eighth graders, are part of global classrooms (like a junior Model United Nations).  They were already familiar with malaria and other global issues, but this magnificent event drove the message home.  The message was to talk about malaria; spreading the word about this serial killer will pave the way for its elimination. 
 

Broomstick Legs: Children Starving in Haiti

Posted by UN Dispatch on November 20, 2008

Recently, fellow Dispatch blogger Vanessa Valenti wrote about child abductions in Haiti, explaining that "while both boys and girls have been kidnapped, it seems that females are a large target, and often raped and sexually abused." Vanessa goes on to say that the gangs who kidnap the children often end up murdering them, despite the family paying their requested ransom.

Now, another heartbreaking story about Haiti's children:

The 5-year-old teetered on broomstick legs -- he weighed less than 20 pounds, even after days of drinking enriched milk. Nearby, a 4-year-old girl hung from a strap attached to a scale, her wide eyes lifeless, her emaciated arms dangling weakly. ...

U.N. World Food Program country director Myrta Kaulard said she fears more deaths from malnutrition in other isol

More Troops for Congo

Posted by UN Dispatch on November 20, 2008

The Security Council has indeed voted -- unanimously, nonetheless -- for what the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has long needed: more troops. Even that, on its own, of course, will not be enough.