State Minister Redwan Briefs Asian Diplomats on Current Critical Affairs in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa,   April 29/2021 Foreign Affairs State Minister Redwan Hussien briefed resident ambassadors and diplomats of Asian countries on the current situation in Tigray, GERD negotiations, the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute, and the 6th General Election today.

Although a lot of progress has been registered, particularly with regard to the delivery of humanitarian aid, some challenges remain to be dealt with to ensure lasting peace in Tigray, the state minister said.

All of Tigray can be fully accessed now, though a military escort could be required to deliver humanitarian aid in some of the areas, Redwan added.

With the redeployment of regional police forces and the establishment of community policing, the security of the region will be much improved, he noted, adding that preparations for inclusive dialogue are underway to fully return the region into normalcy.

Considering the need to employ the approaching rainy seasons for farming, the government is providing farmers with seeds and fertilizers and facilitating the process to return internally displaced people to their homes.

The state minster also spoke about the modalities that the government has prepared to respond to requests for visa extension and access to communication facilities for aid workers operating in the region.

According to Redwan, the Government of Ethiopia is urging the UN and EHRC to expedite the implementation of their agreement to jointly investigate alleged human rights violations in the region to put perpetrators into account.

Securing the region from outlaws and criminals and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure are the main tasks that the government is preoccupied with, he stated.

Speaking on GERD negotiations, the state minister walked the diplomats through the major reasons that stalled the talks and are attributable to the irrational claims of Egypt and the self-defeating moves of Sudan.

He stressed that the international community should understand that all of the concerns of Sudan have been adequately addressed, while Egypt has continued to project its irrational claims of protecting the colonial-era treaties by window-dressing the claim through various names and demands.

In this regard, the state minister pointed out that Ethiopia hopes the AU-led process will lead to a win-win solution that takes into account the country's refusal to sign an agreement that forecloses the rights of its future generations for development.

He also talked about the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute underscoring the belligerent attitude of Sudan that threatened to reverse all the positive achievements achieved, following the signing of the 1972 Exchange of Notes between the two countries.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Redwan finally explained about the upcoming general election and said the government has shown its commitment to making it fair and free which can be witnessed by the appointment of a former opposition figure as head of NEBE, who has ensured the organization's institutional independence.