Tribute to Dr. Ferew Lemma, SUN Country Focal Point for Ethiopia

|Dr Ferew Lemma and SUN Coordinator Gerda Verburg. |

We were shocked to learn recently of the sudden passing of one of our nutrition giants, Dr Ferew Lemma of Ethiopia.

I have known Dr Ferew for many years and will mourn his loss as a friend and nutrition leader. His warm caring for others, humility and professionalism made him stand out among other great nutrition leaders.

Dr Ferew served on the front lines of efforts to bring nutrition to every child, mother and family, with special attention for the world’s most vulnerable. His loss will be mourned greatly by many including all of us across the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.

Dr Ferew played a key role in SUN as the SUN Country Focal Point for Ethiopia, leveraging his important position as nutrition advisor to Ethiopia’s Minister of Health to bring stronger support for nutrition in Ethiopia and across Africa.

He most recently represented Ethiopia at the global level leading the development and submission of Ethiopia’s commitments to the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in early December, hosted by the Government of Japan.

Prior to this, he played a major leadership role in the development of Ethiopia’s national nutrition policies and guidelines, including the National Nutrition Program and the Seqota Declaration, a high-level multi-sectoral commitment unveiled by the Government of Ethiopia in July 2015 to end child undernutrition by 2030.

Dr Ferew also inspired the next generation of nutrition experts and advocates in Ethiopia through his earlier career as faculty member at Jimma University School of Public Health.

His legacy as a nutrition leader in his own country and globally will carry on, and we at the SUN Movement will strive to ensure this does so through our continued collaboration and support towards achievement of the critical nutrition goals of Ethiopia and beyond.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and others close to him who will need to cope with this sudden loss of a dear one.

Gerda Verburg
UN Assistant Secretary-General and SUN Coordinator