It’s Time for U.S to Listen to Ethiopian People, Repair Credibility: American Expert

Addis Ababa November 11/2021 /ENA/ The US should repair its credibility by acknowledging and apologizing to the Ethiopian people for its former complicity with the TPLF, an American expert urged.
In an open letter to US Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman, the American Economist and democracy promotion expert David Steinman said “In light of the foregoing, I urge you to give thought to a new policy that takes these facts into account and better aligns western and Ethiopian interests”.

The economist added that “the US should repair its credibility by acknowledging and apologizing to the Ethiopian people for its former complicity with the TPLF”.

Most importantly, try the carrot instead of the stick. America should abandon its apparent goal of promoting a strategic GoE-TPLF balance which prolongs the combat by emboldening the insurgency.

Accordingly, offer instead to side resolutely with Addis Ababa and provide it with all the military, diplomatic, financial, and moral support it needs to put down the counterrevolution (except, of course, boots on the ground)—but only in return for greater, measurable Ethiopian cooperation on humanitarian access, and human rights enforcement among others.

At least, rationalizing conflicting American and Ethiopian aims in this manner will reduce the harm to Ethiopia’s people as much as realistically possible, the American Economist stated.

Citing that it will foster regional stability by hindering TPLF destabilization plans and show the US finally takes that menace seriously, he further stated it will demonstrate to Ethiopia’s militant opposition that violence doesn’t pay.

It will de-incentivize Egypt’s unhelpful behind-the-scenes role and lower overarching GERD tensions which endanger African security even more than the present crisis.

America’s policy is reminiscent of European colonialists of earlier times who thought they could make Africans understand them by shouting louder, according to the expert, he told the US official in the open letter.

“It’s time to listen to Ethiopia’s people instead and inject more creativity and agility into the diplomatic process. Smarter policy can still help turn this war into an opportunity for long-term peace,” he noted.