Politics & News

New chapter: the US sanctions on Ethiopia

The United States of America announced the imposition of sanctions on Ethiopia due to the violations committed in the Tigray region.

The announcement is no news: last year, the US imposed sanctions on Ethiopia due to the delay in the Ethiopian dam case and the lack of progress in talks with Egypt.

Next, last September, the US State Department announced the suspension of some aid to Ethiopia, again due to lack of progress in talks with Egypt and Sudan on the Ethiopian dam project.

A US State Department spokesman told the Associated Press that the decision to suspend some aid reflects their concern on Ethiopia’s unilateral decision to start filling the dam before reaching an agreement and ensuring all necessary safety measures.

Reuters quoted a congressional source saying that Uncle Sam will reduce aid to Addis Ababa by about US$100mi. US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, announced the imposition of restrictions on granting visas to any current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean security or government official involved in the violations committed in the Tigray region.

Blinken said in a statement published by the US State Department on its website that the measures aim to press for a solution to the crisis, noting that this is a time for the international community to act.

The US State Department highlighted that this decision includes people who have practised unlawful acts of violence or other violations against Ethiopian citizens in Tigray and those who have hindered humanitarian assistance from reaching those in the region.

Despite a list of wide-ranging restrictions on economic and security aid to Ethiopia, the US stressed that it would continue to assist the African country regarding health, food security, basic education, support for women and girls, human rights, democracy, and conflict mitigation.

Short link :

Related Stories

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button