Falls Church, Virginia (8/1/2023) — The Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) congratulates Mr. Ervin Jose Massinga on his appointment as United States Ambassador to Ethiopia and wishes him the best of luck. OLLAA welcomes this appointment and looks forward to continuing to work with Ambassador Massinga, who has shown great understanding of complex situations facing different communities. In addition, OLLAA would like to congratulate Scott Hocklander on his appointment as Mission Director for USAID Ethiopia.
OLLAA deeply appreciated Ambassador Massinga’s commitment to and work toward peace in Ethiopia during his tenure as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs. We are optimistic that he will bring this same spirit and determination to his new role. Ambassador Massinga steps into this position at a tumultuous time, with civilians in many parts of Ethiopia suffering the combined effects of climate crises, dire humanitarian needs, and conflict. We hope he will continue to engage with a diverse group of actors both on the ground and in the diaspora to bring lasting solutions and a desperately-needed peace.
Mr. Hocklander comes to his role bringing experience as the Director of the Office of Assets and Livelihoods in Transition in Ethiopia, as well as experience working on disaster response efforts in East Africa. Given the acute humanitarian crisis facing civilians throughout Ethiopia and the consistent underreporting of need in the southern part of the country, OLLAA urges Mr. Hocklander to expand USAID’s lifesaving efforts to more regions.
OLLAA stands ready to support both Ambassador Massinga and Mr. Hocklander in their efforts to build lasting peace and sustainable livelihoods for all of Ethiopia.
For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact OLLAA at info@ollaa.org.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that works in collaboration with dozens of Oromo communities around the world.