UN Human Rights Chief to conduct follow-up visit to Ethiopia and African Union (22-25 April)

GENEVA (20 April 2018) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Sunday begins his second official visit to Ethiopia, at the invitation of the Government. During his visit, he will also take part in a high-level dialogue between the African Union and the UN Human Rights Office.

High Commissioner Zeid last visited Ethiopia in May 2017, when he met the then Prime Minister and other high-ranking Ethiopian officials and civil society members to discuss the human rights situation in the country and the work of the UN Human Rights East Africa Regional Office. The Government of Ethiopia earlier this year invited Zeid to conduct a follow-up visit to the country.

During his four-day visit, Zeid is due to meet with the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as well as other high-level officials, the Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives and the Chairperson of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, representatives of civil society and Government critics who have recently been released from prison.

On Tuesday, 24 April, Zeid will deliver opening remarks and participate in the African Union-United Nations High-Level Dialogue on Human Rights, to be held from 8h30 at the AUC Small Conference Hall 2 in Addis Ababa. AU Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and Zeid will conduct a joint press briefing at 13h30 at the end of the dialogue.

At 16h00 on Tuesday, the High Commissioner will deliver a lecture at Addis Ababa University.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

In Addis Ababa:  Nwanne Vwede Obahor (+251-115 44 3547 / Mobile: + 251-960 40 3178 / vwede-obahor@un.org
Travelling with the High Commissioner: Ravina Shamdasani (+41 79 201 0115 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org)

In Geneva: Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or Liz Throssell (+41 22 917 9466 / ethrossell@ohchr.org)

This year, 2018, is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN on 10 December 1948. The Universal Declaration – translated into a world record 500 languages – is rooted in the principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” It remains relevant to everyone, every day. In honour of the 70thanniversary of this extraordinarily influential document, and to prevent its vital principles from being eroded, we are urging people everywhere to Stand Up for Human Rights: www.standup4humanrights.org.

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