The US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa emphasized at his most recent media roundtable that there is no justification or explanation for the violence in the Tigray region to flare up again.
In order to maintain long-term peace in the region, the US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa (SEHOA), Mike Hammer (Amb), informed the media that the Tigray region must quickly execute demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration (DDR).
“I had a meeting with Temesgen Tilahun, Commissioner of the National Rehabilitation Commission, on Thursday, in which we talked about the urgency of launching the DDR program because these forces should be completely mobilized,” he said at the media roundtable held at the US Embassy in Addis Ababa on Friday.
He added that these individuals or combatants need to go back to their daily lives, and they want to go back to their daily lives.
“I heard on Thursday from Getachew Reda, Interim President of the Tigray region, as well as previously from Vice President Tsadkan Gebretensae and even from Debretsion Gebremichael, TPLF Chairperson; they are fully committed to going through with the DDR,” the SEHOA says, adding that the United States is contributing to a fund that the UNDP is putting together.
“We know the financing is there for the first tranche, which would demobilize about 75,000 of the Tigrayan commands,” he added.
He underlined that there is no reason or explanation that could be given for returning to violence; the tragic suffering that Tigray and Ethiopia faced during the war is unfathomable.
In response to the issue of whether Ethiopians are very concerned that a war between Tigray forces and the government will break out soon, he said, “So let’s get going, let’s make sure that we deliver resolutions that can ensure lasting peace in Tigray.”
It was at the time the worst conflict on Earth, but through the courage of political leadership in Pretoria, it was brought to an end. “That same courage needs to be displayed every day to ensure that you do not go back to conflict or war.”
He also insisted on bringing peace to the Amhara and Oromia regions.
“We are committed again to being a good partner to all Ethiopians and to hopefully address these issues through dialogue, and to get to the point where we are not talking about war,” he said.
“Even though peace has been achieved in Tigray, the work is not done, and that is why the United States continues to offer its good offices for dialogue with Amhara Fano, if that is possible,” Hammer said, participating in talks with the OLA and the government in Dar es Salaam in November of last year.
“We remain open to pursuing further talks, whether it’s on the Oromia track or if it’s at all possible in the case of Amhara. These conflicts do not have military solutions,” he said.Proofread Version: Regarding peace and dialogue issues in Amhara and Oromia regions, the Special Envoy said that he and the US Ambassador, Ervin Massinga, and his team in Addis Ababa are looking for opportunities to cooperate with the Government of Ethiopia. They aim to facilitate dialogues and negotiations that may help bring an end to these conflicts. He stated, “We are working on it each and every day.”
“In the case of Oromia, we conducted talks in Tanzania. Although we were hopeful that this would lead to a positive outcome in silencing the guns in Oromia, the talks did not succeed. However, this has not halted our efforts,” he said.
The Special Envoy appreciates the peace in Tigray since the Pretoria peace agreement was signed, although not all aspects of the agreement have been implemented yet.
In response to a question about the reinstatement of Ethiopia on the AGOA scheme, Hammer emphasized the importance of commitment on the ground. He stated, “What I continuously hear from the government and Tigray region officials is a strong commitment to ensuring lasting peace. The United States, together with the African Union, IGAD, and the United Nations, is prepared to play its part in making this happen.”
He further added, “Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the United States is also concerned about the significant violence in Amhara and ongoing violence in Oromia. We would be delighted to see Ethiopia return and be reinstated into AGOA. However, our law requires that there are no human rights violations by government forces.”
According to the Special Envoy, there are still reports of abuses and atrocities being committed. As long as this continues, Ethiopia cannot be reintegrated or reinserted into AGOA.
He mentioned that there are some signs of IDPs beginning to return, particularly in the south. However, he emphasized that more progress is needed. He stated, “During my visits, we are working to push both the federal government and the interim regional administration of Tigray to collaborate and ensure the safe return of IDPs to their homes. While we acknowledge some progress, we must not lose sight of the fact that silencing the guns was a crucial step, and we must remain committed to a lasting peace.”
He added, “In my meetings with Tigray region officials and the government, I have heard a continued commitment to fully implement the Pretoria agreement.”
The Special Envoy reiterated that the United States is committed to supporting Ethiopia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity. He stated, “This is the core of our partnership with Ethiopia. We want to stand by the Ethiopian people and provide our support.”