In an effort to mend fences after friction over the two-year war in the Tigray region. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister in Addis Abeba.
A much has to be done. Deepening the peace that has already taken root in the north is probably the most crucial thing. Blinken told reporters following the meeting on Wednesday.
Blinken, who had a coffee ceremony to start his meetings with Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, was also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. And the commanders of the Tigrayan forces that were engaged in combat with the federal government in the northern region.
We need to revitalise our enduring relationships so that we can move forward, Demeke remarked.
On Thursday, the top US ambassador will travel to Niger, a country in West Africa that has been battling armed groups.
The administration of President Joe Biden is working to strengthen connections with African nations. In the face of competition from China and Russia, and Blinken’s trip is the most recent in a series of trips to the continent by senior US officials.
The Tigray war claimed tens of thousands of lives before a peace agreement was struck in November. The US was loud in its censure of alleged crimes committed by Ethiopian forces and their allies throughout that conflict.
Wide-ranging restrictions were placed by Washington on Ethiopia’s access to economic and security aid. As well as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a duty-free trade programme that has benefited the US textile industry.
The second-most populous country in Africa and a long-time ally of the United States in East Africa, Ethiopia, accused Washington. However interfering in its domestic affairs and promised to review the bilateral relationship.
The most significant claims of wartime human rights abuses have been refuted by it.
This week, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Molly Phee stated that additional measures. Whereas the government were needed to “end the cycle of ethnic political violence” in order to restore US relations with Ethiopia.
The Tigray war, according to the country’s state finance minister last year, has slowed down. Ethiopia’s efforts to restructure its debt and obtain an IMF loan.
Despite the fact that Tigray has already received humanitarian help because to the peace agreement. There is still a great need there because of how many people the violence has forced to starve.
Rights groups and humanitarian workers in the region claim that allegations of violations. Particularly sexual violence, have persisted since the agreement was signed.
Humanitarian workers said that while militias from the neighbouring Amhara region hold significant amounts of territory in contested. Areas of western and southern Tigray, Eritrean troops continue to be stationed in a number of border regions.
Requests for comment on the situation have gone unanswered by the government spokesperson for Eritrea. The Amhara regional government and its citizens, according to a spokeswoman, are “always willing to participate with peace deal process and operations.”
