Advocacy meeting with Taskforce, health officials of AAFMHACA, EFDA, sub-cities, and woreda (province) officials for political support

The workshop took place on October 31, 2023, at Cassiopeia Hotel, Addis Ababa. It was systematized to engage with AAFMHACA officials, Arada, Kirkos, Lideta and Gullele sub cities FMHACA officials and professionals. It is already known that, because of the frequent turn over and reshuffling of AAFMHACA office the members of the taskforce may not last longer. Therefore, reviewing its members and welcoming the new ones should be done once in a while.

This time, we used the platform to understand what the newly structured AAFMHACA office with its respective responsibilities look like. Under the new restructuring the tobacco team is organized under health and food related items. Previously, it was not difficult to contact a focal person for tobacco related issues. Because they have their tobacco committee with a focal person assigned, the communication was smooth and friendly. Now, we need to go down all the hierarchy to reach out the person in charge of the tobacco and SF implementation. Mr. Molla, AAFMHACA representative and tobacco focal person to be explained the gap in the restructuring and how to communicate accordingly. The advocacy meeting brought stakeholders from EFDA, AAFMHACA, Sub Cities FMHACAs. its expected outcome was securing full political support and prioritization of AASFI.