Firmness in the face of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Tigray and encouragement from the EU to continue the dialogue with the Ethiopian authorities are at the heart of the EU Council conclusions adopted on Thursday 11 March (see EUROPE 12675/2).
The EU Council stresses the important role of Ethiopia as a strategic partner and key multilateral actor.
The EU urges all parties to put an immediate end to the violence in Tigray and to ensure full, prompt and unhindered humanitarian access to all areas.
The Ethiopian government is urged to cooperate with the UN and all humanitarian organisations on the ground.
The EU Council is extremely concerned about the numerous reports of possible war crimes and crimes against humanity, extrajudicial killings and other serious human rights violations and abuses. The EU calls for an immediate end to these actions and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
The EU encourages the Ethiopian government to strengthen its cooperation with the African Union in order to take peaceful and concerted decisions to preserve the stability of the whole region and to ensure a political solution to the conflict.
The EU wishes to continue the constructive dialogue with the Ethiopian government on all these issues.
It notes the extensive reform process underway and welcomes the government’s commitment to holding credible and transparent elections on 5 June. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)