Antony Blinken in Brussels on 24 March.
Photographer: Martin Bertrand / Bloomberg
Photographer: Martin Bertrand / Bloomberg
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved the establishment of a special envoy for the Horn of Africa, where multiple political crises are unfolding.
The envoy, who is expected to be appointed in the coming weeks, will focus on the conflict in the Tigray region in Ethiopia and tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia over a disputed border area, the department said in a statement on Wednesday. . The person will also address a disagreement between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the great Ethiopian Renaissance dam, he said.
The creation of the site adds to the growing diplomatic pressure facing Ethiopia over continued violence in Tigray.
On Wednesday, Blinken held talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to discuss “various measures to support unhindered humanitarian access, the investigation of human rights violations and abuses, the cessation of hostilities and the immediate withdrawal of Eritrea from Ethiopian territory “.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a raid on Tigray in November after soldiers allied with the former ruling party in the dissident region attacked a federal army camp. Four months of fighting have caused $ 1 billion in damage to infrastructure in Tigray, Abiy said on Tuesday.
Rise performance
The impact of the conflict on state finances, combined with the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, led the government to announce in January that it would seek debt relief under a Group of 20 Eurobond yields initiative. millions of national dollars have risen 300 basis points since the raid began.
Defense groups, including Amnesty International, have alleged war crimes in Tigray. The humanitarian group Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Wednesday members of its staff witnessed extrajudicial killings in the region.
MSF employees, traveling in a marked car, found the aftermath of an ambush on an Ethiopian military convoy between Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, and the city of Adigrat. Ethiopian soldiers stopped the car and two MSF public buses, separated the men from the women on the buses and then shot and killed four men, he said.
Later, Ethiopian soldiers removed the MSF driver from the vehicle, hit him with the back of a weapon and threatened to kill him.
“This horrific event further underscores the need to protect civilians during this ongoing conflict and for armed groups to respect the provision of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance,” said Karline Kleijer, head of emergency programs at MSF, in a statement.
The government will investigate MSF’s allegations, Abyy spokeswoman Billene Seyoum said in response to questions sent by text message.
“The prime minister has made it clear to parliament that accountability is key,” he said.