Humanitarian Agencies Are Free to Get Access to Tigray Region: Deputy PM & FM

Addis Ababa February 26/2021 (ENA) Any humanitarian agency is now free to get access to Tigray region and deliver the much-needed relief support to affected people just with prior notification to the government, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen said.

The above remark was made during the telephone conversation he held with Norway's Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreid today.

In addition to the much-improved access to humanitarian support in the region, basic services have been restored and salary payment for public servants is being facilitated, Demeke said.

Although about 3.1 million people have been reached for the relief support so far, the minister stated that the government is taking the lion's share in covering 70 percent of the delivery of food and non-food items, and support from the international community including the Government of Norway is much welcomed.

Regarding concerns over the violation of human rights in the region, Demeke said the Government of Ethiopia is ready to address the issues where it showed its commitment by deploying the Attorney General and the Federal Police Force to investigate the matter.

According to him, the government is creating a more conducive environment to humanitarian support and is seriously committed to bring perpetrators of any crime in the region to justice despite misinformed allegations and inimical media campaigns from some corners.

In their discussion about the situation of the tripartite talks over GERD, the foreign minister  explained how Ethiopia has been faithfully negotiating with Sudan and Egypt and expressed hope that with the Congolese leadership the way forward will be sorted out.

The Government of Ethiopia hopes to succeed in the negotiation before the upcoming rainy season in Ethiopia where the filling of the dam is scheduled to take place, a press release of Ministry of Foreign quoted Demeke as saying.

The conversation was concluded with a mutual understanding between the two officials.