NEW YORK (UNICEF) – The familiar blue flag flew at half mast in front of United Nations headquarters a few weeks ago. Its emblem of peace – a global map cradled by olive branches – flapped in a brisk autumn breeze. The flag had been lowered in memory of the five UN staff and others killed in the 28 October attack on an international guest house in Kabul.
After confirming his identity and notifying his family, UNICEF has now disclosed that one of the fallen was Teshome Mandefro Egrete, 56, an engineer from Ethiopia who was working with the agency on an assignment that began in September.
Mr. Egrete’s funeral was held in Addis Ababa this past weekend. He leaves behind a grieving wife and teenage son, and an extended family in deep shock.
That shock extends to all of Mr. Egrete’s colleagues at UNICEF and other UN agencies, and to the entire humanitarian aid community. Although he had lived and worked in Afghanistan for just a short time, he died there under the banner of peace and human development.
For this, we honour his memory and that of the others who were lost.
A life-saving legacy
Mr. Egrete leaves behind a legacy of saving and improving lives with his grit and intelligence, and the sheer skill of his hands.
He was in the drilling business by trade, starting out as a mechanic in the late 1970s and honing his skills over three busy decades. Trained in his home country and the United Kingdom, he became a drilling instructor and superintendent, and a senior advisor on complex water-supply projects operated by the government and private companies across Ethiopia.
Mr. Egrete had travelled to Afghanistan to assist the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development with the operation and maintenance of drilling rigs used to construct wells for communities in need. It was not a political mission but a practical one: to provide safe water for Afghan families – thereby saving the lives of thousands of children under the age of five who could otherwise die from diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases.
It was a worthy mission that tragically became his last.
‘In service to humanity’
Executive Director Ann M. Veneman expressed outrage and grief over the human toll of the Kabul attack. “UNICEF extends its deepest condolences to Teshome’s family and friends,” she said on 30 November, after his remains had been formally identified through genetic testing. “He died in the service of humanity.”
Despite such attacks, UNICEF and its partners continue that service, not only in Afghanistan but throughout the developing world.
By continuing our work, we carry on the legacies of colleagues like Mr. Egrete and Perseveranda So, the UNICEF educator who died in a bombing in Pakistan six months ago. By looking ahead, we build on the achievements of at least two dozen other UN aid workers who have been killed in violent attacks this year alone. By refusing to yield, we hold high the ideal of peace symbolized by the familiar blue flag flying outside the UN in New York.
Today, in memory of Teshome Mandefro Egrete, we rededicate ourselves to that ideal.
UNICEF
24 thoughts on “UN mourns Ethiopian engineer who is killed in Afghanistan”
Another victim of the so called a war “fighting against terorism” my deepst sympathy goes out to his family may his soul rest in peace.
My codolence to the family of the deceased Ethiopian engineer.Sorry for telling as is no matter how we want to cut it, the guy went there knowing full well what the repercussion is going to be making money out of other people misery.
Nebs yimar. This is an example of why we should pray and struggle at the same time to live in our homeland. Death is inevitable but it is better to die helping your own poor people rather than savages of no mans land.
God bless your soul. My codolence to his family and all his friends.
Egrete died with dignity. But there are silent killers within the organization “killing” the staff which no one sees. There is no remedy for this kind of silent killer?
My condolence to his family. Ethiopia and the world community lost another valuable dedicated professional.
May you rest in peace.
If he was committed to the poor, he could have used his skill to help Ethiopians who are thirsty of water and freedom.
He was hunting money and took the risk and paid a high price for it.
Nebs Yimar. my deepst sympathy goes out to his family may his soul rest in peace.
What is wrong with you people. Give your condolence and save the judgment for yourself. I do not know you but you behave as if you guys are some kind of angels. Look a yourself first.
Nefs Yemar and He servived by his brother and other family members here in Seattle – – – :(
Please guys, leave the dead alone. what kind of moral value did you all have? no heart, bunch of zombies. is this your Ethiopian manner? if it is, Weyane is the least you deserve.
Those of you, who didn’t approve his going out of the country, tomorrow morning when you are washing your face look at the person you see in the mirror. What hipocrites!!!
Koster,
What inhuman you are! You are very cold blooded. At least it is not an Ethiopian way to condumn the dead.
May his soul and souls of those who have been killed by your sort rest in peace.
RIP, Teshe. He was my friend. Ato Koster shame on you for your comment. you said “He was hunting money and took the risk and paid a high price for it.” You are Idiot, so what. He went there from Addis to give training for some months.
What the heck are you doing, throwing sickining phrases, you seem to be a drug addict, get medication.
RIP Dear Teshome.
I knew this guy while I was working in the former Ethiopian Water Works Construction Authority. E.W.W.C.A. He was a driller that used to drill water wells in the remotest and rular areas of Ethiopia. He was a quite, down to the earth and very intellegent man. His country will miss him so much.
To some of you who had commented that he should have remained and served his poor country, I will tell you this- I know him and hereby give my words that he has served his country unreservedly for so many years,no matter what the hardship was and has paid his share to his mother land. I do not know what you guys have done to your country to comment that way. Please think twice,specially some of you who have sadistic and immoral behaviour and are fast to judge others and come to conclusion with out adequate information.
To me it is very odd when people say he died by helping poors in Afghanistan. Hasn’t he know that the poorest country on this planet is our home land Ethiopia, when he went to Afghanistan ? We don’t have to make heros from the money hunters vulures.
To those of you who have criticized him for his being stationed in Afghan, hope to see that hypocrite face in the mirror, while you are shaving your face tomorrow morning .
i am really sorry. Ethiopia even world lost a big guy. he would do more for afghans and others.
Ethiopia lost a big guy. I am really sad.
Gebisa and Koster, although you have any right to comment, this time you made a big mistake throwing any thing at any one. This is not in any of the ethiopian cultures, may be you are…
OH, my people Ethiopians, please waste your time for crying and advocating for our braves who are suffering in jails. Cry for those who have left their worm-home and are dying today in Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, Yemen and others foreighen countries due to the political crisis in their country. Be aware, in SUDAN where i am living now, hundreds of Ethiopians are suffering when some of them are dying daily from diffirent seasons. Till today no single Ethiopian is talking for them. On this web.seit always we see when Ethiopians are crying for proffesors, Doctors or ingineers like this one.
Al-Khartoum Bahari, Sudan
The english proverb says ” A friend to all is a friend to none ” or ” An idle brain is the devil’s workshop ” but ” Permanent occupation prevents tempetation “. Although we are all Ethiopians, we cannot be the friends of all Ethiopians except having a commen goal or interests. As Ato Yohanes has mentioned above, why our brothers and sisters Ethiopians do not pay attention for our fathers, mothers, brothers,sisters and children who are dying at home of hunger and disease ? Or it is the titles which can put us in the catagory of getting sypathy ? Our children in Ethiopia have born as human beings but without seeing the light of life and live. They live a short painfull life without tasting the meaning of human being or ETHIOPIANESS.
If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say it at all. God bless his soul.
i beleve many of you guys throwing mud at the dead are living in america or somewhere in the west, why did you come to the west in the first place? for a better life, right? is there no better life back home? the answer is an absolute yes, due to the corrupt and undemocratic adminstration. so if you are justified to make money out of your country, why not the the dead? let’s shut our mouth on this particular topic as we don’t have the morall authority to criticize others who do the same. as a matter of fact we are in a global economy and can go any where we feel we will do the best and make our living better. right communists?
jupi