Ethiopia Rejects UN Rights Council Politically Motivated Outcome
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia rejects UN human rights council special session’s politically motivated outcome, said the ministry of foreign affairs, adding the country would not cooperate with the established mechanism imposed upon it against its consent.
In a statement, the ministry today expressed Ethiopia’s “extreme disappointment” to have witnessed “once again the use of the Human Rights Council by some to advance their politically motivated agenda”,
“Regardless of repeated requests by the government of Ethiopia for the Council not to hold a special session but rather engage in a constructive manner and work in a collaborative spirit with the country concerned, some succeeded in achieving their objective through attaining majority votes in the Council,” it says.
The latest move, led by the European Union and with no African backing, has gone against the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission’s request to the Council and its members urging them to support the implementation of the Joint Investigation Team’s recommendations.
The Ministry of foreign affairs said, the action by some in the Council “is an attempt to find an alternative way of meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and serves no purpose except exacerbating the situation on the ground”.
“What is even more worrying is that this trend in the proliferation of establishing mechanisms through the Council in most cases have failed to attain their objectives and have become merely tools of imposition on countries who refuse interference in their internal affairs,” it continued.
“This is why Ethiopia has categorically rejected the special session and its politically motivated outcome which undermines trust in the work of the Council, and most importantly, the territorial integrity, national sovereignty and political independence of Ethiopia.
“Ethiopia would like to reiterate that it will not cooperate with the established mechanism imposed upon it against its consent,” it said.
The Ministry has also extended its gratitude to countries “who have expressed their support and solidarity and reiterates its commitment to continue its efforts to fulfill its obligations under international law to respect and protect human rights”.
“No More to double standards; No More to unilateral coercive measures; and No More to meddling in internal affairs under the pretext of human rights,” the statement concluded.
