WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has lifted some aid restrictions on Ethiopia due to progress on human rights, White House national security spokesman John Kirby announced.
He said that the improvement on human rights took place especially following the end of hostilities deal inked by the government of Ethiopia and forces from Tigray region.
Washington Lifts Several Restrictions on Ethiopia
The agreement ended a fight that left hundreds of thousands confronting hunger, killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Despite an overall decrease in abuses since the ceasefire, human rights groups say violence particularly ethnic cleansing, has continued in northern Tigray region of Ethiopia.
Kirby said that the US was lifting several restrictions on some kinds of help while pausing food assistance. He said, “This decision, we think, enlarges the tools available to us to boost our help for a long-term peace in Ethiopia.”
Meanwhile, in a statement, the US State Department said its help would support reconciliation and peace in the country. A State Department spokesman said that the focus of resumed bilateral help would be to assist further execution of the end of hostilities deal and promote long-term peace and reconciliation via efforts including transitional justice, demining, and accountability,”.
It added, “We will continue to speak out regarding grave human rights abuses, including by non-state elements in western Tigray region, and ask the government to ensure safety of civilians and hold culprits accountable,”.
Washington restricted security and economic help to Ethiopia during the fight and also cut access to the trade advantages of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The United States in March determined that all sides in the region had committed war crimes. However, Ethiopia denied the allegations. Over 20 million people need food in Africa’s second most populous country, largely due to worst drought and the war in northern part of Ethiopia.
