UNICEF, the UN’s Children’s Agency, has appointed the Eritrean ambassador to the UN, Sophia Tesfamariam, as vice-president of its board.
Ms Tesfamariam is certainly a controversial choice. She is perhaps best remembered by Eritreans for notorious remarks she is reported to have made after the tragic deaths of over 360 children and young people in Lampedusa, having drowned in the Mediterranean in October 2013.
Instead of joining the grieving, she is said to have rejected suggestions that they were fleeing conscription into indefinite national service. Rather, she is alleged to have dismissed the victims as “rich kids with a lot of money from the cities of Eritrea.”
As President Isaias Afwerki’s choice as ambassador to the UN Ms Tesfamariam has represented his regime’s policies, no matter how brutal. These have left Eritreans without democracy, justice and trapped in poverty and despair.
None of this is reflected in the glowing biography published by the UN’s Children’s Agency.
Martin Plaut 
Sofia born in Ethiopia, not as described in her bio-a stranger to the Eritrean independence struggle, anti liberation demands, raised in close proximity to Emperor H. Selassie, a foreigner representative of Eritrea at the UN who once said “I don’t care if they scold me in Tigrigna [at a demonstration] for I don’t even understand the language” who defends the brutal anti family, anti Child growth and development, anti women and anti education pfdj policies; now to lead the UNICEF second in command is unthinkable.
https://www.facebook.com/EritreanPresss/posts/sophia-becomes-the-new-permanent-representative-of-eritrea-to-the-united-nations/1057386777787249/
L’#Érythrée adhère à la Convention sur les droits des personnes handicapées, une mesure bienvenue en apparence. Mais comment prendre cela au sérieux quand le régime continue de violer les #droits humains fondamentaux ? Hypocrisie ou réel engagement ?
Simply ridiculous and makes no sense
Biography
H.E. Ms. Sophia Tesfamariam, Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations
H.E. Sophia Tesfamariam is the Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the UN.
She has global experience in social development and has done extensive work with youth and women,
especially in the Horn of Africa. Her passion is to produce possibility mindsets among the youth, and
has worked with many representative groups in the Horn of Africa to promote understanding and
cultivate peace.
Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam conducted over 100 seminars and workshops for youth and women
in USA, Europe and Africa on leadership and strategy development, and has extensive media and
public diplomacy experience. An avid writer and storyteller, she has published over 1000 articles and
reports for various media outlets, as well as blogs, and is Co-Editor of the Diaspora Magazine and the
America Times.
Born during the struggle for Eritrea’s independence, Ambassador Tesfamariam understands the plight
of refugees, the longing of exile, and the burning hope for freedom that resides in all human beings.
Ambassador Sophia has strong networks in Africa, Europe, and Australia and continues to work with
the citizens of the Horn of Africa to achieve peace, stability and security in the region
Sophia falsely claims that Eritreans are fleeing their country for luxury living which is entirely incorrect. The reality is that Eritreans are escaping a harsh regime, leading many to end up in refugee camps. These camps are predominantly populated by young single people, with a significant number of unaccompanied minors and separated children (UASCs) among them. Eritrean refugees face limited access to basic services and are unable to achieve self-reliance due to inadequate livelihood opportunities.
According to Refugees International and UNICEF, Eritrean refugees urgently require help and compassion. Appointing Sophia, who shows no real understanding or empathy for these displaced people, undermines their needs. Leadership in this area should involve someone who truly understands the struggles of Eritrean refugees and prioritizes their welfare, not someone juggling other interests. It is like unethical to hire someone that doesn’t represent Refugees specifically Ertrean families who might end up needing help from your Agency.