Demeke, EU Special Envoy Hold Talks on Bilateral Ties, Situation in N. Ethiopia
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen met Annette Weber, European Union (EU) Special Representative for the Horn of Africa to discuss the situation in northern Ethiopia, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement, the ministry also said the two also discussed ways of giving renewed impetus to the relationships between Ethiopia and the EU.
During the meeting, Demeke stressed the commitment of the government to translate the road-map to hold an all-inclusive dialogue into reality through discussions with stakeholders in Ethiopia.
He also briefed her on the government’s commitment to facilitating the humanitarian aid supply to all affected areas in the region.
Building upon the misinformation campaign, he said, some corners of the international community are accusing the federal government of obstructing the aid supply to Tigray.
Demeke, however, explained the “destructive acts of the TPLF in the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions and in blocking aid from reaching people in occupied territories”, the statement reads.
The special envoy, for her part, appreciated the government’s initiative to ease up the challenges that the country is facing right now, it says.
She further expressed the Keen interest of the European Union to scale up relationships with Ethiopia.
Demeke also appreciated the visit of the special envoy and the EU’s concerns over matters in Ethiopia.
He also stressed Ethiopia’s firm convictions to resist biased and unwarranted attacks that threaten its sovereignty, according to the ministry of foreign affairs.
Weber last visited Addis Ababa in August during which she met the then peace minister Muferihat Kamil, and president of Ethiopia Sahlework Zewde.
Since then, the relationship between the EU and Ethiopia hit a snag after the EU Parliament adopted the resolution.
The resolution demands an “immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties” in northern Ethiopia and urging the UN Security Council “to consider deploying UN peacekeepers to the region”, among many others, according to media reports.
Ethiopia called the resolution “biased and unacceptable” during a telephone conversation he had with foreign minister of Slovenia – current president of the Council – last week.
