Washington DC, 3 September 2022 (TDI): The United States has condemned the restart of fighting in northern Ethiopia.
The fighting started following the collapse of the five-month cease-fire in the Tigray region. This threatens to fuel famine and destabilize the Horn of Africa.
In a press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We condemn Eritrea’s reentry into the conflict, the continuing TPLF offensive outside of Tigray, and the Ethiopian government’s airstrikes.”
She urged the participants to end their hostilities. “There is no military solution to the conflict.”
The U.S. condemns the continuing TPLF offensive outside Tigray, the Ethiopian government’s airstrikes, and Eritrea’s re-entry into the conflict. We call on all parties to immediately halt military operations and redouble efforts to engage in peace talks. https://t.co/5cWGzeTu4J
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 2, 2022
The federal administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have blamed each other for the most recent outbreak of violence.
The TPLF is an armed political movement that ran the country for more than 20 years as part of a government coalition but has since been recognized as a terrorist group by Addis Ababa.
Jean-Pierre said this weekend, Mike Hammer, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, will travel to Ethiopia to urge parties to engage in discussions to resolve the nearly two-year-old conflict.
Also read: US Secretary of State visits Indo-Pacific and Africa
This would be his second visit in a month. he was there on August 2 with his counterpart from the European Union, Annette Weber, to promote the start of discussions.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned last week that a resumption to active combat “would result in widespread suffering, human rights abuses, and further economic hardships.”
The United States and Ethiopia Relations
The United States established diplomatic relations with Ethiopia in 1903 and has maintained them ever since.
The diplomatic relationship between the United States and Ethiopia is significant and multifaceted.
It is centered on four broad objectives, protecting American citizens, bolstering democratic institutions and expanding human rights, stimulating broad-based economic growth and promoting development, and advancing regional peace and security.
