The United States and the European Union on Tuesday called for the perpetrators of human rights violations in Ethiopia‘s Tigray region to be brought to justice, and for “foreign forces” to withdraw.
The U.S. and the EU also shared “deep concerns” about the growing political and ethnic polarization throughout Ethiopia that threatens the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We condemn ongoing atrocities, including widespread sexual violence, and we welcome the ongoing OHCHR investigations and call for full accountability for reported human rights violations in Tigray and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” read a joint statement released at the end of the U.S.-EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday. “We also call for the withdrawal of foreign forces, and unimpeded humanitarian access.”
More broadly, the U.S. and the EU described the political, human rights, security, and humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Sahel countries as being of “grave concern,” adding that they are committed to “peace and sustainable development in Africa.”
The United States and the European Union also called for an equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, as well as for financial support towards a sustainable recovery in Africa amid the coronavirus devastation.
“Following the Summit on financing African economies, we plan to act together with our African partners to ensure equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, and to provide financial support towards a sustainable recovery. We are determined to significantly amplify, on a voluntary basis, the impact of the proposed general allocation of Special Drawing Rights by the IMF for Africa,” they said.
The leaders of the European Union and the United States met in Brussels to renew their Transatlantic partnership, set a Joint Transatlantic Agenda for the post-pandemic era, and commit to regular dialogue to take stock of progress.
Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa. Simon covers President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, the U.S. government, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington D.C. and New York City.