EU Continues Providing Humanitarian Aid, Will Consider Dev’t Aid: EU Representative Gilmore

Addis Ababa May 19/2022 /ENA/ EU has continued providing humanitarian assistance and will consider development cooperation with Ethiopia, EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore said.

The special representative, who has been on a 3-day visit to Ethiopia, told journalists he had  meetings with government officials and opposition figures, civil society actors as well as  international humanitarian organization representatives in Ethiopia.  

His discussions focused on humanitarian aid, national dialogue, the AU-led negotiation, human rights and peace, he said.  

According to Gilmore, it is important that the national dialogue is inclusive. "I have also emphasized from my experience that the involvement of women in negotiation and peace building process is essential."   

Asked about EU humanitarian assistance and development cooperation with Ethiopia, the special representative said that all the humanitarian assistance that the EU were providing has not been stopped. The Union has continued providing humanitarian assistance and is willing to do this.

"It is true that because of the conflict situation the development cooperation that we have with Ethiopia  has been put on hold in areas of cooperation, including financial support. So, we are (now) looking at that,’’ Gilmore pointed out.

He further revealed that Foreign Ministers Council of EU will have a meeting in June and they will look at the situation in Ethiopia and look at the whole issue of the engagement.

"We will have a meeting of the foreign ministers of 27 member states who meet at the Foreign Minister Council of EU.  They will have a meeting  in June and they will look at the situation in Ethiopia; and we look at the whole issue of the engagement and how that might be done."

He further said that the report that he will provide for the High Representatives arising from this visit will form part of that discussion and of that consideration onto... "However, I don’t prejudge what the foreign ministers will decide."

The three areas that the ministers will be looking into at their meeting are the humanitarian delivery, the national dialogue, what is being done to bring peace; and thirdly what is being done on accountability for the human rights violations, it was learned.