The United States on Monday called for Ethiopian human rights abusers to be held accountable and warned that the road to peace, integration and reconstruction in the country would be long.
In a statement, the United States remained committed to supporting Ethiopia’s transition and urged all parties to work together to build a more inclusive and prosperous future for all Ethiopians. Also warned that the hard work of reconciliation and rebuilding would take time and would require “sustained investment and commitment from Ethiopia’s leaders and people.”
The Pretoria peace agreement and the Nairobi declaration were both major steps forward in the peace process in Africa. However, the United States is still committed to ensuring that those who committed human rights abuses during the conflict are held accountable.
The senior State Department official asserted that the United States is “absolutely committed” to ensuring that those who committed human rights abuses are held accountable. He added that there should be justice for extrajudicial killings during the conflict.
The United States believes that all parties to the conflict must be held accountable for their actions. This includes those who have committed human rights abuses. The United States will continue to work with all parties to the conflict to ensure that justice is served.
It is the official’s hope that the international media will be allowed access into Tigray and other regions of Ethiopia in order to see the First-Hand accounts of the atrocities that have taken place since November 2020. He went on to explain the steps that have been taken since the peace agreement was reached in Pretoria, South Africa on November 2nd. These steps include further negotiations in Nairobi, Kenya beginning on November 7th, which led to the Nairobi declaration on November 12th. If the media is given access to these areas, it will be easier for the general public to gain a better understanding of the situation and the gravity of the situation.
The United States Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Michael Hammer, has also been engaged with all sides. This week, he met with Ethiopian and Tigrayan officials in Ethiopia, and held discussions with the African Union leadership in Addis Ababa. hammer is working to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Ethiopia and Tigray.
The official described the implementation of the peace agreement as “work in progress”, acknowledging that “no implementation will be perfect” and there the road to peace, stability, reconstruction and integration remains long.
The official said that Ethiopians will need the support of the international community to rebuild their nation after years of war and horrible destruction. He/she added that the agreement is an important step on the long road to peace and stability, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
The official acknowledged that the agreement is not perfect, but said that it is a necessary step in the right direction. He/she urged the international community to continue to support Ethiopia as it rebuilds its infrastructure and economy.
The United States and Kenya are working together to try to bring peace to two areas of Africa that have been plagued by violence for many years. The Ethiopian region of Tigray has been the site of a conflict between the Ethiopian government and a rebel group called the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. This conflict has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and has caused a humanitarian crisis in the region. The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has also been unstable for many years, with various rebel groups fighting against the government. The fighting has led to the death of thousands of people and has caused many others to flee their homes.
The Biden administration has welcomed recent steps toward peace in Ethiopia, but has called for further action to be taken in order to fully address the needs of all Ethiopians. On Saturday, the administration released a statement applauding the signing of a peace deal by the Ethiopian federal government and Tigrayan authorities in South Africa on November 2, as well as the commitments made in Kenya on November 12 to cease hostilities and provide unhindered humanitarian access to all Ethiopians in need. While these developments are encouraging, the administration stressed that much more needs to be done in order to bring lasting peace and stability to the country. Specifically, the administration called on all parties to the conflict to implement the peace agreement without delay.
“We welcome the commitment to unhindered humanitarian access and clarification of cessation of hostilities implementing arrangements articulated in the Declaration of the Senior Commanders Meeting on the Implementation of the Ethiopia Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement announced today in Nairobi,” United States Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
“As the parties implement the commitments they made in the November 2 agreement and today’s declaration, they must honour the cessation of hostilities, expedite unhindered humanitarian assistance to all in need, protect all civilians, deliver restoration of basic services throughout northern Ethiopia, and begin investigation of and accountability for human rights abuses.
The parties to the agreement signed in Pretoria on November 2 have committed to cooperate in facilitating unhindered humanitarian access to areas affected by the conflict in Ethiopia. This includes restoring access permissions that have been suspended, and ensuring that humanitarian assistance can reach the most vulnerable people in the Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions. The United States is the largest contributor of humanitarian aid to Ethiopia, and we will continue to provide assistance to those in need.
Today, we commend the parties for continuing to deliver on their commitments made in the Nairobi Agreement. This is a critical step forward for the people of South Sudan, who have suffered for far too long. We applaud the determined efforts of AU High Representative former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta who spearheaded this effort in Nairobi, the government of Kenya for hosting, and the African Union for its leadership. This agreement is an important step in the right direction, and we urge all parties to fully implement it.
The United States continues to support the implementation of the November 2 agreement between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), as well as other efforts to achieve a lasting peace in Ethiopia. Although there is still work to be done, the progress that has been made is promising and gives the Ethiopian people reason for hope.