US Announces $331mln in Aid for Ethiopia as Blinken Meets Peace Deal Signatories
The United States government has today announced $331 million in new humanitarian assistance for Ethiopia in 2023.
The assistance will be provided through the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
“This funding will provide life-saving support to those displaced and affected by conflict, drought, and food insecurity in Ethiopia,” US Secretary of state Anthony Blinken said while announcing the assistance.
The fund includes $12 million through the State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and more than $319 million through the USAID.
State Secretary Blinken announced the new humanitarian assistance hours in his visit to Addis Ababa where he met with senior federal and regional government officials today.
The visit comes four months after the signing of the peace deal by the federal government and TPLf, ending a two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia.
Blinken met with the signatories of the peace deal – the government’s National Security Advisor Redwan Hussein and TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda.
Redwan and Getachew shared the progress that has been achieved so far including the silencing of the guns, delivery of humanitarian assistance, restoration of services as well as the disarmament of Tigrayan heavy weapons and significant withdrawal of Eritrean forces.
The signatories acknowledged much work remains to fully implement the COHA and to ensure a lasting peace.
The signatories also discussed the need for the establishment of a Tigrayan Interim administration as key to maintaining positive momentum and agreed on the need for accountability, and transitional justice, and reiterated their commitment to peace.
The Secretary expressed U.S. steadfast support, as an observer to the African Union-led process and as a partner to Ethiopia, towards achieving lasting peace, as per the state department.
“I commended Ethiopian federal and Tigrayan regional officials delivering on the commitments agreed upon in the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement,” Blinken said.
The state Secretary also urged “further action to ensure a lasting peace in northern Ethiopia.”
Prior to his meeting with the signatories, Belinken held discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, also with Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, on progress made on implementing the peace deal and the need for accountability.
An agreement has also been reached “to revitalize our strong partnership”, the US Secretary of State added.
Taye Atske Selassie, a foreign policy advisor to the PM Office, described the meeting as “a very productive and fruitful… that reinvigorates and revitalizes the longstanding and historic relationship between Ethiopia and the USA.”
