Mafa Chipeta Interview

Mafa Chipeta, the Sub-regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and FAO Representative in Ethiopia.

Mafa Chipeta received a BSc(Hons) in Wood Science and a MSc in Forestry from the University of Wales.  He first served as a manager of Blantyre Sawmill in his native country of Malawi, and eventually advanced to the position of Forestry Research Officer.  Beginning in 1980, he began working for the FAO, first as a Professional Officer working in programming, field project operations, and policy and planning.  Currently, Mr. Chipeta serves as the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and FAO Representative in Ethiopia.

Ky Luu's Questions:

1. You got your start in the United Nations back in the early 80’s here in Ethiopia.  And you’ve come full circle now; you are head representative in this region.  What, during this journey, that has taken you to Rome, to Uganda, to Indonesia, how have these experiences changed you? Listen to his response here.

2. This core optimism, I think is extremely refreshing, especially given the extent of your career.  I think that others perhaps within this, who have chosen this career path, have been frustrated and challenged.  Yet, I would like to point out here that as we look at the global humanitarian challenges as they currently exist, where the global internally displaced population is upwards of 77 million, with 26 million displaced because of conflict, each year we are adding to that, and look at the forecasts with regards to climate change, people are perhaps noting that upwards of 200 million newly displaced can be affected.  What can we do, with optimism that actually translates into action, to counter these local challenges, whether they are due to the environment, or are manmade? Listen to his response here.

3. The region that you oversee here, East Africa, as you noted, makes up 3% of the global population, yet for decades now, they are recipients of over 30% of the food aid.  All the points that you have just raised now, how do we as a collective community, turn this into action by the policy makers, by donors, who acknowledge perhaps that this may be a need of action.  But how do we make sure that there are the right people, and the resources, that can make this a reality? Listen to his response here.

4. Policies are driven by information that is managed, that is packaged.  And as we look within the humanitarian and development community, there are benchmarks, indicators that will either reference when we are in emergency mode, or somehow or another, we are on the road to recovery and development.  Do you find, that the characterization, perhaps, of a situation, whether it is emergency or development, useful?  Do you find that somehow the benchmarks and indicators, perhaps perpetuate certain programs, as you noted earlier, to stay within an emergency, rather to transition? Listen to his response here.

5. Staying in Ethiopia here, what you have laid here is a need to invest in the basic infrastructure and foundation, to move from traditional emergency relief programs, to a development framework.  And yet, in order to make the proper investment, as defined as how we have reached benchmarks, the emergency (4:45) there needs to be an evidence-based process, with regards to these sorts of transition, early recovery funding.  What system do we have in place, what information, what benchmarks, has the international community developed in order for donors, in order for partners, to be able to make this long-term commitment to be able to be transparent, to be able to be held against some of these benchmarks in regard to transition? Listen to his response here.

6. In your career to date, what’s been your proudest achievement? Listen to his response here.

7. Is there anything that you, upon reflection, wish that you did better, or could change? Listen to his response here.

8. Who are your heroes, and why? Listen to his response here.

9. Looking forward, what more do you want to accomplish in your professional career? Listen to his response here.

10. What advice would you give to young professionals who are entering this career path, in order to be able to themselves succeed and find satisfaction in their careers? Listen to his response here.

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