News in Brief
President Shale-work visits Tanzania and DRC
Embassy in Geneva refutes statement of UNSRSG on sexual violence in Tigray
Misrepresentation of the Government of Ethiopia (Letter to the The Economist)
Ethiopia addresses concerns of international community in Virtual meeting facilitated by Atlantic Council
Africa and the African Union
The African Union (AU) on Tuesday raised concern with the rising tensions at the common border between Kenya and Somalia, which saw sporadic violence in Bula-Hawo. It called for dialogue to deescalate tension. The fighting arose between Somalia National Forces and regional Jubbaland fighters, which Somalia claims have been trained in Kenya. At least nine people, including civilians, were killed on the Somali side where the battle occurred on Monday morning. The AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat called on both sides to deescalate tensions and use multilateral channels to voice their complaints.
Ethiopia
President Sahle-Work Zewde has been on a working visit to Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the week. The president was accorded warm welcome in both of the countries. During her visit, the current situation in the country and issues in the region, including bilateral and continental-level concerns were the main subjects of discussions. Her visit to Tanzania was also accompanied by the good news of the Tanzanian President announcement pardoning many Ethiopians who have been detained in Tanzanian prisons, for reasons related to their presence in Tanzania without holding authenticated documents. The president’s visit to the DRC was successful in setting out plans to increase diplomatic engagements. (See article)
Ethiopia and the UK have signed a climate partnership agreement ahead of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). The agreement for collaboration between the two countries was signed on Saturday (January 22) by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. As part of his three-country tour of East Africa, Raab visited Ethiopia. Earlier he visited Kenya and Sudan to discuss tackling shared challenges including COVID-19, security, and climate change.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen met on Tuesday (January 27) with EU ambassadors and representatives of European countries to discuss issues of mutual concern. On the occasion, Demeke delivered a detailed briefing on the humanitarian assistance efforts that the government and pertinent bodies are undertaking in the Tigray region.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen received at his office on Thursday (January 28), Mohamed Abdirizak, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia. During their discussion, the two sides covered bilateral and regional issues of common concern, including preparations to hold the upcoming elections in both of the countries. Mohamed recalled his government stance in understanding the law enforcement operation in Tigray as an internal affair of Ethiopia and affirmed Somalia’s commitment to the joint efforts of the two countries in building and keeping peace in the region.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen on Thursday (January 28) said more than 34,000 Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia will return home. Presenting a six-month performance report of the ministry to the House of Peoples Representatives Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs Standing Committee, he also said civic diplomacy is a key issue in the revised draft foreign policy. Demeke noted that extensive work has been done to repatriate Ethiopians under dire conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic from the Middle East.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen had a fruitful discussion with UK’s President-Designate of COP 26 for climate change, Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma on Thursday (January 28). During the discussion, Rt. Hon. Sharma applauded Ethiopia’s remarkable achievement with regard to adaptation and efforts made to combat the effects of climate change and added that Ethiopia has become a beacon of hope for the region.
Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia bade farewell to Michael Raynor, the departing US Ambassador to Ethiopia on Wednesday (January 27). On the occasion, Demeke appreciated the outgoing ambassador for his fruitful stay in Ethiopia that advanced the long-lasting and strong historical relationship that existed between the two countries. The discussion between the two sides covered the reform process under the new political administration in Ethiopia and the commendable support that the US government has rendered to its success and to withstand some of the notable challenges.
Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dina Mufti on Thursday (January 28) sat with ‘Al Ain Amharic’ to discuss developments on the GERD negotiations and the recent Ethiopian-Sudan border dispute. Regarding the border dispute, Ambassador Dina underscored that it will not serve the inherent needs of the people of Sudan. He said Ethiopia still believes in peace and requests Sudan to evacuate its military forces from Ethiopian areas that it has forcefully occupied by displacing farmers as a precondition for negotiation. Addressing chairmanship of the DRC following South Africa’s exit from its current chairmanship, Ambassador Dina reflects Ethiopia’s unshakable confidence in the AU-led negotiation and the principle of ‘African solutions to African problems.’He recalled Ethiopia’s role in building peace during the time the DRC had faced in the 1960s and said the country’s chairmanship over the negotiation won’t negatively affect Ethiopia’s principle-based negotiation.
The outgoing Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan, Teferi Tadesse, has paid a farewell courtesy call on President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan. Ambassador Teferi met the President to bid farewell to him for having completed his years of tenure in the country. President Kiir commended the Ethiopian ambassador for his contributions in solidifying the already existing cordial relations between the two sisterly countries. In attendance was the Minister of Presidential Affairs Nhial Deng Nhial.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen on Monday (January 25) bade farewell to outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia, Raphael Morav. On the occasion, the two sides exchanged views of bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in health, agriculture, capacity building, and technology transfer. He commended the Government of Israel for sending trainers and drones to assist Ethiopia’s fight against locust invasion. Appreciating the efforts of Ambassador Raphael Morav to cement the friendly relationship between Ethiopia and Israel, he wished him success in his future endeavors.
Ethiopian Embassy the Hague, Netherlands in collaboration with key Ethiopian and Dutch stakeholders held an investment opportunities promotion webinar on Ethiopia’s agricultural sector. The promotion webinar entitled “Ethiopia: Focus on Agricultural Investment” was attended by over 50 individuals composed of Dutch companies and sectoral associations, Dutch business promotion organizations and financial institutions, as well as government officials from Ethiopia and the Netherlands.
Ethio telecom, the lone telecom operator, hired KPMG East Africa to conduct its business valuation. Kicked off earlier this month, determining the market value of the entire business of the company is expected to take eight weeks. The company’s management hired KPMG by a single sourcing procurement method through negotiations. The latest contract is an extension of the project KPMG was awarded last year to conduct an asset valuation of the company for the first time at International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption. KPMG East Africa was paid close to one million dollars for the contract it delivered a few months ago.
Ethiopia and Japan have signed on Tuesday (January 26) signed a grant agreement amounting to 4.8 million USD to support efforts aimed at providing enhanced road operation and maintenance. State Minister of Finance, Yasmin Wohabrebbi and Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia Ito Takako signed the agreement. During the occasion, the State Minister said due to the rapid urbanization and increase in the number of vehicles in Ethiopia, the main roads have been severely congested. Such support would help improve traffic flow, save time, reduce the cost of fuel and road maintenance as well as travel expenses, she added.
The UK has launched a new funding project to improve skills and capacity among Ethiopian media outlets. The project focuses on countering, fight COVID-19, and secure funds for media organizations said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. Launching the project during his visit to Addis Ababa, Raab disclosed that media in Ethiopia will now be supported by £3 million of UK funding which will be managed by a consortium led by BBC Media Action. He added that the consortium will bring together national and local media organizations to help them navigate challenges including how to identify and counter misinformation, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operations and their audiences, and how to more effectively secure funding for their organizations.
Ethiopian and South Sudan security services have agreed to cooperate in regional issues and capacity building sectors. Director-General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) of Ethiopia, Temesgen Tiruneh discussed on Wednesday (January 27) bilateral issues with Director General of South Sudan’s Internal Security Bureau, Akol Koor Kuc. During the discussion, the two sides agreed to strengthen their cooperation on regional security issues, according to a statement NISS sent to FBC today. They reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regional peace and security by exchanging information regarding illicit firearms trafficking, terrorism, and illegal activities at border areas.
Eritrea
Eritrea and Saudi Arabia held on Tuesday (26 January) in Riyadh the first meeting of their Joint Ministerial Council. The meeting was led by Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farah al Saud. The meeting was focused on strategic issues of common interest of the two countries. At the end of the meeting, a Memorandum was signed by the two Foreign Ministers affirming the decision of both countries to cooperate in the political, economic as well as security sectors.
Kenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged South Sudan leaders to hasten the implementation of the remaining aspects of the peace agreement signed in Khartoum, Sudan in 2018. The President singled out the establishment of the legislative assembly and reforms in the security sector as some of the pending areas that require attention as the country returns to stability after years of conflict. The Head of State spoke Tuesday evening at State House, Nairobi when he hosted US Special Envoy for South Sudan Amb Stuart Symington and his UK counterpart Bob Fairweather who paid him a courtesy call.
UK Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace travelled to the two East African nations to enhance security cooperation in the battle against terror group Al Shabaab and other shared threats. During his visit to Kenya this week, Mr Wallace visited troops at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), a vital hub where UK soldiers prepare for operations around the globe. The Defence Secretary also travelled to Mogadishu, Somalia, where he met President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to helping the government build up its armed forces to combat terror groups like Al Shabaab. The British Army has over 50 personnel based in the country, and recently trained the 500th Somali soldier in basic infantry skills, with plans to train up to another 600 in 2021.
Somalia
In a joint statement on Wednesday (January 27), Somalia regional states Puntland and Jubbaland said they agreed to take part in the electoral process following persuasion by the international community, but called for a meeting of the National Consultative Forum (NCF) before the end of January to address outstanding issues. They have now nominated eight members each to the electoral committee.
Somali security forces on Tuesday (January 26) killed seven Al-Shabaab militants and wounded several others in the country’s southwestern Bay region, officials said. The forces targeted al-Shabaab positions in the town of Seydhelow and its surrounding areas and liberated the town, according to Amiin Mohamed Daruur, Bay region police commissioner. “The operation was carried out by our forces in Seydhelow where at least seven al-Shabaab terrorists were killed. The area is now under the control of the government forces,” Daruur told Somali National News Agency (SONNA).
South Sudan
South Sudan’s First Vice-President, Riek Machar on Tuesday (January 26) discussed the implementation of the September 2018 peace deal with several diplomats in the country. The diplomats who met Machar included, Prof. Joram Biswaro, the head of the African Union Mission in South Sudan, Major Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, Interim Chairperson of Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) as well as the Deputy Chief of Strategy at RJMEC, Ambassador Thomson Fontaine. The meeting, the office of the First Vice President said in a statement, discussed the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, with emphasis on the status of the implementation of the security arrangement and graduation of the necessary unified forces in South Sudan.
Sudan
As media reports on Tuesday (January 26), protests and road closures continued for the third day in a row in Khartoum and a number of other cities in response to the high prices and general lack of bread and fuel. The bread crisis in Khartoum is reportedly caused by cuts in the allocation of flour to the state. In North Darfur, students demonstrated against the lack of bread, high transportation costs, and deteriorating education system. The protesters closed off a large number of main roads, creating barricades and setting fire to car tyres. The streets they closed off included 60 Street in El Sahafa, the east entrance to El Jarif Bridge, and a number of streets in Khartoum.The protesters condemned police suppression of the protests that took place on Sunday in more than 20 neighbourhoods in Khartoum, as well as in Port Sudan, Madani, and El Obeid.
The number of those displaced by clashes in Darfur, Sudan hit 123,000 people this week, according to the UN, worrying human rights experts, analysts and commentators about an outbreak of ethnic violence as the combined United Nations/African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur continues its withdrawal. Two separate attacks on 16-17 January and 18 January claimed the lives of 250 people and left hundreds injured, with inter-communal violence around Krinding camp, West Darfur, spreading the next day to South Darfur’s Gereida locality, according to UNHCR. The clashes saw fighting between Masalit and Arab communities in Krinding, a displaced people camp, and between Falata and Reizigat tribes in the area around Gereida, a town some 85 kilometres south of Nyala, the state capital of South Darfur.
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President Shale-work visits Tanzania and DRC
President Sahle-Work Zewde has been on a working visit to Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the week. The president was accorded warm welcome in both of the countries. During her visit, the current situation in the country and issues in the region, including bilateral and continental-level concerns were the main subjects of discussions. Her visit to Tanzania was also accompanied by the good news of the Tanzanian President announcement pardoning many Ethiopians who have been detained in Tanzanian prisons, for reasons related to their presence in Tanzania without holding authenticated documents. The president’s visit to the DRC was successful in setting out plans to increase diplomatic engagements. (See article)
During the discussions with President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, the Presidents exchanged views on bilateral, regional, and continental issues. They highlighted the importance of enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries. In line with this, the two presidents have agreed to hold the next joint-ministerial commission meeting in March or April of this year and to work closely in the many sectors including trade, investment, and aviation.
It is to be recalled that Tanzania was the first riparian country to ratify the Comprehensive Framework Agreement (CFA) on the use of the Nile waters.
President Sahle–Work also briefed her counterpart on the law enforcement operation that was undertaken by the Ethiopian government in the Tigray region. Furthermore, she informed the President about the rehabilitation, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance currently underway in the region. President Magufuli has just been re-elected for a second term.
President Sahle-Work Zewde has also paid a working visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo where she held discussions with President Felix Tshisekedi on bilateral, regional, and continental issues. They highlighted the importance of enhancing the partnership between the two countries. President Sahle-Work announced that measures to reopen Ethiopia’s diplomatic representation to the DRC are underway saying “We are back in Kinshasa”. The Ethiopian embassy in Kinshasa was opened in 1962, right after the independence of the DRC, but had to close due to economic constraints. The two countries have an aviation agreement and Ethiopian Airlines flies to multiple cities including Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Goma.
President Tshisekedi will be taking over the AU chairmanship from the South African President next week. In keeping with the principle of finding African solutions to African problems he will be presiding over the tripartite negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
President Sahle–Work also briefed her counterpart on the law enforcement operation that was undertaken by the Ethiopian government in the Tigray region. Furthermore, she informed the President about the rehabilitation, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance currently underway in the region.
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Ethiopia addresses concerns of international community in Virtual meeting facilitated by Atlantic Council
H.E.Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia has participated in an online meeting facilitated by Atlantic Council-Africa Center on Thursday (January 28) to address current issues in the country and the region to the international community, where some US congress members and Staff of Biden administration were in attendance.
The meeting sufficiently addressed several issues ranging from the current situation in Tigray and matters related to humanitarian assistance efforts and access to aid agencies in the region to allegations of human rights abuses and Eritrean refugees, including the status of the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute.
The Deputy Prime Minister delivered briefings together with State Minister, H.E. Ambassador Redwan Hussien and, Mr. Tesfahun Gobezay, Director General at Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA).
The meeting noted that following the successful completion of the law enforcement operation against the unwarranted attack of the TPLF clique on the ENDF, the region has returned to normalcy with the joint efforts of the federal government and the Interim government of Tigray in rehabilitating the socio-economic fabric of the society and rebuilding infrastructures destroyed by the junta.
The representatives of the Ethiopian government also provided accurate figures correcting the erroneous claims of some reports about the number of people who need humanitarian assistance in Tigray reiterating that 1.8 million people have already been in Productive Safety Net Programs and those of the people who are affected as a result of the crisis are 700, 000 people.
In this regard, they said, one million and 46 thousand people have been reached with the humanitarian assistance dispatched to the region, from all of the 92 distribution centers in the region’s zones, saving a few who have some security restrictions.
Downplaying the claims of some staff of INGOs and international organizations to politicize the matter, the Ethiopian officials said that the government of Ethiopia is providing humanitarian assistance for the people of Tigray and readying for partners to visit the area based on the guidelines of the government.
The issue of Eritrean refugees has also been a subject of discussion where the Ethiopian representatives expressed their uneasiness in witnessing false and politically motivated allegations even though local and International Agencies have addressed humanitarian assistance to 60% of the total Eritrean refugees in Tigray who are specifically sheltered in Mai Ayni and Adi Harush camps.
The remaining Eritrean refugees, who were in the sub-standard Shimelba camp and the inhospitable Hitsats site, where Eritrean opposition used to get military training from the junta, are sheltered in different parts of Tigray and the Amhara region, they added.
The meeting also highlighted the grave human rights violations of the TPLF clique, particularly in Mikadra, as attested by independent and international human rights groups and underscored the need to further investigate allegations of sexual violence by members of the ENDF, although no independent body has provided evidence yet for this and other egregious claims.
Regarding the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute, it is said that Ethiopia is committed to resolving the problem through negotiation but requires the Sudanese side to evacuate their army that has encroached deep into the Ethiopian territories destroying lives and properties of Ethiopian farmers.
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STATE OF EMERGENCY FACT Sheet
23 January 2021
Misrepresentation of the Government of Ethiopia (Letter to the The Economist)
The Government of Ethiopia condemns in the strongest of terms the accusation that it is “using hunger as a weapon”. After citing “accounts”, quoting “frettings” of a certain “Western diplomat” and hesitating that it is “impossible to know”, the article then proceeds to make such an unconscionable and serious claim. In the past month, the Government of Ethiopia has mobilized and delivered more than 31,000 metric tons of food, non-food items and medical supplies to the region of Tigray. In addition, the Government of Ethiopia is putting in place necessary security protocols to protect civilians, stabilize the region and capture remaining suspects of treasonous crimes.
This article trivializes the constitutional obligation of the federal government of Ethiopia and resorts to a wholesale insult that “the government is too incompetent”. The Ethiopian National Defense Forces and other security institutions have demonstrated exceptional courage and skill in this law enforcement operation. There is a delicate and cautious balance that is to be observed in guaranteeing basic necessities while maintaining security in the Tigray region. Federal agencies, utility companies and other service providers are working at full speed to restore services in Tigray. They are doing so in the wake of the TPLF’s and its militia’s well-documented acts of vandalism against public and private infrastructure and assets including telecom, transport, energy and banking. Reconstruction will take time and this air of disconnect and mystery is fueling misinformation as the one in this article.
The article neglects to consider the TPLF’s history of systematic human rights violations. Like the rest of humanity, the people of Ethiopia seek peace and the rule of law. TPLF has been the grand sponsor of destabilization, terror and massacres for the past three decades and it has not eased its thirst for absolute power even after it was unseated through widespread protests and the electoral rules of the coalition which TPLF itself had engineered. Thanks to our millennia old tradition of statehood, Ethiopians are fierce believers in justice. And in this land of justice, actions have consequences.
In this complicated and high stakes operation, humanitarian, diplomatic and media agencies will have to endure the inconvenience of heeding to the direction of the government. The success of this operation necessitates that as Tigray transitions to rebuilding and recovery.
The gravest error this article makes is its shortsightedness. Ethiopians have a dream for peace and prosperity. The past two years have been profoundly painful for all Ethiopians but the Government of Ethiopia believes we are headed in the right direction. Magnifying troubles and echoing accusations of past regimes within the article as a comparison to this administration is a mere distraction. Ethiopians will not watch helplessly and idly as history repeats itself. This is exactly why the Government of Ethiopia has been determined in preventing spoilers such as TPLF from hijacking our new chapter.
The Government is implementing historic reforms across economic, political and social sectors. Ethiopia is poised to enter a new era and the Law Enforcement Operation in Tigray is a costly but necessary step in the right direction.
It is regrettable that the Economist assumes that leaders in Africa are either evil or incompetent.
Embassy in Geneva refutes statement of UNSRSG on sexual violence in Tigray
27 January,
2021 Geneva
Press Release
The Permanent Mission of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland notes with dismay the baseless Press Statement of Ms. Pramila Patten, the UNSRSG on sexual violence in conflict, on 21 January 2021, whereby she called for “The prohibition of the use of sexual violence and cessation of hostilities in the Tigray Regional State”.
We recall that the Government of Ethiopia undertook a law enforcement operation in the Tigray Regional State to restore a constitutional order in the country and bring the perpetrators of atrocities to justice. Although the law enforcement operation is by and large completed, currently a few pocket areas of confrontation remain, where remnants of the TPLF clique are hiding and trying to deny the consolidation of sustainable peace in those areas. Every possible effort however, is being exerted in close coordination with the Regional Provisional Administration to ensure peace and stability as well as to restore basic services to the people.
We would like to underline that the people of Ethiopia seek peace and rule of law and it is the government, who has the constitutional responsibility, to maintain law and order and ensure the safety and security of civilians.
Moreover, we would like to remind TPLF’s history of systematic human rights violations is well documented, particularly its destabilization, terror and massacres in the past three decades as well as its recent vandalism against public and private infrastructure.
There is a need to emphasize that allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse are extremely serious and the Ethiopian government takes them very seriously. But these should be verifiable both in terms of facts and their perpetrators. It should also be pointed out that these accusations are based on concocted fictitious facts, based on unwarranted assumptions egregiously failing to refer to crucial facts on the ground. They emerged from the quick defeat of the TPLF and as a result their supporters are using it as a tactic of war to garner support and sympathy from like-minded groups as well as to terrorize the civilian population and achieve their tactical objectives by tarnishing the image of Ethiopia. We regret the re-echoing and baseless accusation of the office of the SRSG in this regard. It would have been appropriate if such information was communicated to the relevant authorities, in a timely manner, for investigation and verification of its objectivity, accuracy and reliability rather than stating fictions and allegations. Echoing accusations of past regimes and its affiliates who want to hijack Ethiopia’s new chapter of reform, will not contribute to fighting impunity nor to provide the necessary assistance to victims of sexual violence and their families.
Regarding the allegations of Ethiopian refugees in the Sudan by the SRSG, the Permanent Mission believes that those comments should have been directed rather towards its own affiliate agencies since the refugee camps are not within the Ethiopian Territories. It should be underlined that the UN has the responsibility to ensure the protection, safety and security of those displaced refugees, particularly since Ethiopia has received reliable reports that some of those “refugees” are suspected criminals who fled after committing the Maikadra massacre and those identified should face justice.
Concerning the allegations of sexual violence linked to Government, the Permanent Mission would like to reiterate Ethiopia’s full and unwavering commitment to the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. In this regard, it would suffice, as a litmus test, to look into the impeccable disciplinary track record and history of the Ethiopian forces deployed both at home and in UN peacekeeping operations in the region and elsewhere. It should be emphasized that the allegations do not even meet the minimum evidentiary standard.
There is no question, however, that the veracity of those allegations are matters that should be investigated. The government continues to exert efforts aimed at addressing possible risk factors which may lead to such cases. Whenever it receives any report of sexual misconduct, the government is committed to carry out necessary investigations, to take all appropriate measures to ensure accountability and to bring perpetrators to justice.
Regarding the Humanitarian situation, the Government of Ethiopia, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, is redoubling its efforts to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance as well as ensuring the sustainable repatriation and reintegration of the displaced, to enable them to commence their normal lives. Concerted efforts are also being exerted to repair the excessive damages inflicted on public infrastructure by retreating TPLF forces. During the past month the government of Ethiopia has mobilized and delivered more than 31, 000 metric tons of food, non-food items and medical supplies in the Tigray Regional State, and all the necessary preparations are well underway to sustainably and fully reach every part of the region.
It is to be emphasized that the need assessment, deployment, and distribution of humanitarian assistance to those affected in the Tigray Regional State should be undertaken in strict compliance with the MOU signed with partners and in full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Moreover, it should be noted that in accordance to UNGA Resolution 58/114, humanitarian operations must be provided in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
Finally, despite the numerous smear campaigns by various international actors, the Permanent Mission of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other International Organizations wishes to reiterate that Ethiopia is very much conscious of its international obligations and commitments and would like to assure all concerned the readiness of the Government to remain engaged with the Office of the SRSG on Sexual Violence and others interested to cooperate in good faith on this endeavor.
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