The President of CRS Visits Ethiopia to Strengthen Humanitarian Collaboration

The global budget allocation continues to impact countless lives, and the unified efforts of the Catholic Church remain steadfast in spreading the love of the Gospel.

Sean Callahan, President of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the social development arm of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, visited Ethiopia for seven days, touring several regions across the country.

On October 16, 2025, a program organized by CRS brought together distinguished guests including the Bishops of the Ethiopian Catholic Church, CRS President Sean Callahan, CRS East and South Africa Regional Director Matt Davis, Country Representative Zemede Zewde, members of the Missionaries of Charity, the Secretary General of the Bishops’ Conference, the President of the Ethiopian Catholic University, partner institutions, and other senior officials.

During the gathering, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) expressed its deep gratitude to CRS for its over six decades of humanitarian service in the country. Discussions also focused on strengthening collaboration to address growing humanitarian needs and promote peace in various parts of Ethiopia.

President Callahan, speaking on behalf of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference, reflected on global challenges and financial constraints faced by the institution. He noted that his visit to Ethiopia served as a powerful testimony to the impact of CRS’s work and its dedicated partners.

Ethiopia Country Director Ato Zemede highlighted the significance of the visit, emphasizing its role in raising global awareness about CRS’s mission and inspiring international partners, including the U.S. government.

In his closing remarks, His Excellency Abune Tesfasselassie, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa, conveyed appreciation, on behalf of His Eminence Cardinal Abune Berhaneyesus, President of CBCE, to the U.S. Bishops’ Conference for its continued support during Ethiopia’s humanitarian and natural crises. He also encouraged Ethiopian Catholics to strengthen local solidarity and self-reliance alongside international partnerships.

Under the leadership of His Eminence Cardinal Abune Berhaneyesus, President Callahan also met with His Excellency Ambassador Taye Atskeselassie, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Ambassador Taye expressed his gratitude for the Catholic Church’s service to humanity, particularly in social development and humanitarian relief.

President Callahan, in turn, thanked the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the government, regional administrations, communities, and CRS staff for their dedication and partnership in serving vulnerable communities across Ethiopia. He noted that the team’s visits to projects in Hosanna, Emdibir, Mekelle, and Addis Ababa revealed promising results.

In 2024 alone, Catholic Relief Services reached 200 million people across 134 countries. In Ethiopia, the organization provided humanitarian and development assistance to over 7.5 million people with a budget nearing $500 million.