PMU expands partnership with Sida for peace in Ethiopia

PMU will be Sweden's new strategic partner for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Swedish Embassy in Ethiopia will grant the aid organisation PMU 37 million SEK over three years to build peace and provide trauma support in the war-torn country. The peace initiatives will be implemented throughout the country, including northern Tigray where many adults and children are traumatised after the latest civil war.

"Through this support, we hope to strengthen the important role of faith actors to promote peace and reconciliation in the communities. This is incredibly important for creating the stability which Ethiopia needs for implementing its development plan," says Åsa Andersson, Head of Development Cooperation section at the Swedish Embassy in Ethiopia.

PMU's director, Niclas Lindgren, is happy for the cooperation with the Embassy and Sida, as well as the confidence in the role of religious actors for peace:

"It is very encouraging that Sida and the Embassy in Ethiopia have seen the positive results of the method used by PMU, and believe in it. Our partner in Ethiopia considers this type of project essential. Engaging and cooperating with different religious actors is a key to building peace."

PMU's cooperation with the Swedish Embassy in Ethiopia began with a smaller peace project, which had very good results even with limited funds. The project will now be expanded and implemented in more parts of the country, including the northern areas in the federal state of Tigray. During the civil war in Tigray 2020-2022, it is believed that up to 600,000 civilians may have been killed, though the exact death toll is difficult to confirm. Many people in the region therefore suffer from different types of trauma. Ethnic and religiously based conflicts continue to cause death and suffering in large parts of Ethiopia. Just in October this year, 471 people were killed in these conflicts (Ethiopia Peace Observatory).

The new peace programme will work with different interventions for peace, reconciliation, improved livelihoods, and trauma support. The approach of the programme is to link these development interventions with humanitarian responses. The goal of this is to transition people from aid dependency to self-sufficiency.

"An important component of the work for peace is to ensure that humanitarian responses do not cause further tension between different ethnic and religious groups. For this, we need to link the humanitarian aid with development work," says Jonas Fållsten, Regional Coordinator for East Africa at PMU.

The peace programme will involve several religious actors in Ethiopia and involve all of the major faith traditions. Meetings between religious leaders lead to a greater understanding of their own role in the conflict, even for those who are not directly part of the fighting, as well as how they can promote an end to the violence. Religious leaders are also trained to train other leaders in methods for helping people process traumatic experiences. Material adapted for working with trauma in youth and children will also be developed for use in school clubs and children's groups within the religious institutions.

"These are difficult issues, but the work makes a difference. One woman, who had received training in peacebuilding and trauma support, began a reconciliation process where she helped children from different sides of the conflict to connect and help each other. This in turn helped the parents reconcile," says Jonas Fållsten.

For more information and interview requests, please contact the press officer at PMU:

Linnea Jimenez
linnea.jimenez@pmu.se
+4670-4192501