Welcome!
ISSUP Regional Coordinator’s Inaugural Official Visit to the MCDO Office
(September 17, 2026)
We were honored to warmly welcome Radolf Ansbert, National Chapters Regional Coordinator for the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP), to our office today, September 17, 2026, for his inaugural official visit.
Upon his arrival, Radolf was greeted by our Executive Director, Mr. Elias Kalayu, with an enthusi-astic and joyous reception from the entire Meqoamia Community Development Organization (MCDO) team. We had a truly successful and wonderful time together, marked by engaging dis-cussions on advancing our shared vision for substance use prevention and professional excellence. As the host organization for ISSUP Ethiopia, this global partnership holds immense value for our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Radolf for this inspiring visit and look forward to achieving great milestones together!
(Figure 1: Mr. Radolf Ansbert with MCDO Executive Director Mr. Elias Kalayu and the MCDO team during the inaugural visit.
ISSUP Ethiopia and EFDA Convene Strategic Consultative Meeting to Shape Future Collaborative Pathways
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — In a concerted effort to advance national substance use prevention, drug demand reduction (DDR), and regulatory standards, representatives from the ISSUP Africa Regional Chapter, the Meqoamia Community Development Organization (MCDO) as the host or-ganization for the ISSUP Ethiopia National Chapter, and the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) convened a strategic and highly productive inaugural consultative meeting centered on collaboration and capacity-building partnership.
During his official working visit to Ethiopia, Mr. Radolf Ansbert, Regional Coordinator for ISSUP National Chapters, held high-level discussions with colleagues from the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) to explore and solidify modalities of institutional cooperation.
The fruitful session was attended by Mr. Tolessa Gemeda, Head of EFDA’s Narcotics, Psycho-tropic Substances, and Tobacco Desk; Mr. Aberra, Head of Public Relations at EFDA (a certified evidence-based substance use prevention professional and a proud member of ISSUP); Mr. Radolf, ISSUP Regional Coordinator; Mr. Elias, Executive Director of MCDO as the host organization of the ISSUP Ethiopia National Chapter; alongside relevant MCDO team members.
(Figure 2: Official strategic consultation meeting between ISSUP Ethiopia and EFDA representatives.
Highlighting the overarching vision and urgency of the sector during the strategic dialogue, EFDA’s Public Relations Head and ISSUP member, Mr. Aberra, stated:
“We warmly welcome the establishment of the ISSUP Chapter in Ethiopia as a highly significant milestone. To effectively drive evidence-based prevention and Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) ini-tiatives across our nation, robust professional capacity building is indispensable. This is a vital, high-priority institutional need that resonates strongly from our Authority to the national level.”
Grounded in EFDA’s institutional mandate and strategic goals, the dialogue focused on synergiz-ing regulatory frameworks with workforce professionalization, laying a robust foundation of inputs for upcoming operational initiatives. In alignment with the ISSUP Ethiopia framework and institu-tional strategic objectives, the core areas of collaboration identified include:
- Strengthening Regulatory Standards and Legal Frameworks (NDCMP Pillar 1 & NMHSP Priority Area 1): Supporting EFDA’s national mission by integrating evidence-based practices into the regulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precur-sors, while reinforcing the enforcement of key regulations such as EFDA Proclamation No. 1112/2019.
- Universal Prevention Curriculum (UPC) and Community-Based Prevention (NDCMP Pillar 2 & NMHSP Priority Area 2): Promoting standardized, scientifically backed pre-vention curricula nationwide to safeguard public health from substance use risks.
- Workforce Capacity Building and Professional Excellence (NDCMP Pillar 3 & NMHSP Priority Area 3): Enhancing the professional competencies of regulatory person-nel and sector practitioners through specialized training and Continuing Professional De-velopment (CPD) frameworks.
(Figure 3: Presentation of the ISSUP commemorative gift to EFDA)
Furthermore, this foundational consultation platform has provided critical strategic insights and actionable inputs regarding EFDA’s key institutional priorities for future actions. Moving forward, ISSUP Ethiopia (coordinated by MCDO) and ISSUP Global will closely collaborate with EFDA, focusing and deliberating on these priority areas to drive impactful joint initiatives.
This strategic alignment marks a transformative milestone in bridging regulatory oversight with global professional standards to foster sustainable substance use prevention and public health ex-cellence in Ethiopia. 🌍📈
• Published by / Citation: Published by the Meqoamia Community Development Organiza-tion (MCDO) (September 2026)