The highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Ethiopia since the outbreak of war in Tigray in November 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Wednesday (March 15) with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, representatives of the Tigray rebels, as well as humanitarians and members of civil society. The two countries were aiming to reshape ties after two years of conflict, the end of which was sealed with a peace accord signed in November in South Africa.
With our correspondent in Nairobi, Albane Thirouard
U.S. involvement in Ethiopia will move forward as the country moves forward in the ” reconciliation and accountability for the atrocities committed during the conflict in Tigray: this is what announced Antony Blinken Wednesday.
Addis Ababa is pushing in particular for the lifting of its suspension of AGOA, a law allowing certain exports to the United States without customs duties. The country had been excluded from it at the start of 2022 due to the conflict in Tigray, scene of crimes against humanityaccording to Washington.
But today, if the head of American diplomacy underlined that the peace agreement was going to ” in the right direction “, he also recalled the need to set up a process of transitional justice” open to all and comprehensive “. Human rights violations in Tigray must also end completely, insisted the Secretary of State.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed meanwhile claimed on Twitter that they had agreed during their meeting to ” to strenghten » Bilateral relations between their two countries. Antony Blinken has already announced $331 million in humanitarian assistance to help Ethiopians affected by conflict, drought and food insecurity.
Antony Blinken is due to meet again this Thursday morning with the President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat before going to Niger. US Vice President Kamala Harris will then succeed him on the continent at the end of the month, with trips planned to Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia.
► To read also: Ethiopia: revelations about appalling massacres perpetrated by the Eritrean army