On the basis of the report by the Finnish Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto, on his mission to the Horn of Africa, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, announced at the end of February a strong message from the EU in forthcoming Council conclusions, which have since taken shape.
The draft conclusions, dated 9 March and seen by EUROPE, express the EU’s extreme concern for the serious humanitarian crisis in Tigray and the risk of destabilisation of the whole region. The draft document puts pressure on the Ethiopian government.
It underlines that Ethiopia is a strategic partner of the EU in the Horn of Africa and in the wider region, as well as an important multilateral actor.
The EU welcomes Pekka Haavisto’s visit to Ethiopia and Sudan on behalf of Mr Borrell (see EUROPE 12664/3).
The Council should underline that Ethiopia faces a complex internal situation with major implications for the whole region and that the armed conflict in Tigray is exacerbating tensions in the Horn of Africa.
With regard to Tigray, the EU remains extremely concerned about the conflict and the fact that a large part of the population has been deprived of basic services, communications and humanitarian aid since the beginning of the crisis. The situation is increasingly critical, especially in rural areas.
The EU urges all parties to put an immediate end to the violence and to respect international law - human rights, humanitarian law, refugee rights.
Full, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need must be ensured in all regions, the text reiterates.
The EU calls for the protection of displaced persons and refugees and recalls that the international principle of ‘non-refoulement’ must be respected.
While acknowledging the work done by the Ethiopian government to address some of the needs of the population, the EU stresses that more needs to be done. Full cooperation with the United Nations and all humanitarian organisations present in the field should be ensured.
The EU welcomes the government’s announcement of unimpeded access and mobility for humanitarian agencies, based on a simple notification system, and calls for its immediate and full implementation.
Procedures for importing humanitarian aid and communication equipment must be accelerated and basic services quickly and fully restored. Civilians must be able to move about safely and freely.
The EU remains extremely concerned about the numerous testimonies and reports supporting allegations of the involvement of multiple actors that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as sexual and ethnic violence.
It welcomes the commitment of the Ethiopian authorities to bring all perpetrators to justice and to accept international technical assistance to carry out the investigations and announces that it will closely monitor progress. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)