By: Ollus Ndomu
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed optimism that diplomacy will help end the ever escalating Ethiopia internal war.
Speaking Wednesday, Blinken disclosed that he had been talking with the African Union’s special envoy, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the US regional envoy, Jeffrey Feltman in effort to help restore peace in the warring country:
“We are hopeful that, given the important work that president Obasanjo is engaged in – the efforts that we’re making and others are engaged in – that there is still a window to pull back and to move this to a better place.”
In his correspondence with Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, Blinken underscored to urgent need to “seriously engage in negotiations on a cessation of hostilities without preconditions”.
The ongoing conflict between Ethiopia’s federal forces and Tigray rebels has from 2020 killed several hundreds of civilians and displaced millions, creating a severe humanitarian crisis in some regions.
With Tigray rebels advancing towards the capital Addis Ababa, there is fear that inter-communal violence may exacerbate, thus the US has called for negotiations and a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abiy Armed has continued to encourage Addis Ababa residents to mobilise and defend themselves against rebels that are bent on toppling the democratically elected government.
