Situation in Tigray (per 15 June)

–           The President of Tigray, Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, said in a press conference that: “There is no chance for us to negotiate while our people are under complete siege, our land is invaded and banks, telephone and other services are banned.” He stated negotiations have not yet started, but are at the initial stage of the cessation of hostilities.

–           He also said: “As the planned negotiations [with the federal government] will determine the fate of the people of Tigray, first we will discuss with our people and then it will be decided by the Tigray government council.”

–           “We are not fighting for aid but for our rights, existence and security,” he said. He added that only three rounds of aid have been received so far out of the six rounds that should have been received under the ceasefire agreement.

–           Debretsion stated that Sovereignty of Tigray and accountability for genocide were, among others, things that could not be negotiated.

–           An open letter by Debretsion addressing the Chairperson of the African Union and President of Senegal, President of Kenya, President of the United Arab Emirates, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, the UN, EU and US says: “We are prepared to negotiate for peace consistent with fundamental principles of human rights, democracy, and accountability, based upon the positions agreed through the deliberations of the Government of Tigray. We are not prepared to make secret deals or bargain away our principles for material inducements.”

–           The letter has accused the African Union (AU) for being silent over the war and the atrocities perpetrated by the forces ranged against the people of Tigray.

–           The letter expressed confidence in the Government of Kenya to broker peace negotiations.

–           It further stated that the proximity of the AU chairman in Tigray “has not gone unnoticed by our people.”

–           “We stand ready to dispatch a high-level delegation, fully mandated and briefed, to talks convened and hosted by the Government of Kenya,” said the letter. PM Abiy told the Ethiopian parliament on Tuesday that a committee has been established to negotiate with Tigray state.

–           UNHCR Ethiopia said it has brought 5.4 metric tonnes of vital medicines and medical supplies into Tigray region in the past week. Analgesics, antibiotics and other essential drugs will be distributed to refugees and host community health centres in Shire and Mekelle, including Ayder Hospital.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 15 June)

–           According to the Ethiopian Monitor, Ethiopia and Italy have signed a concessional loan agreement worth €22 million [1.23 billion Ethiopian birr] after Italian foreign minister, Luigi Di Mao, met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday. The loan will finance the development of Bulbula, Bure, Yirgalem, and Ba’eker Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks (IAIPs) and rural transformation centres in proximity to the IAIPs.

–           After signing the agreement, Minister Di Maio said that Ethiopia, as a priority country for Italian Cooperation, is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Italian Official Development Assistance.

–           Dr. Desalegn Chane, a politician representing the Amhara National Movement (NaMA), told the Ethiopian Parliament on Tuesday that: “Because the people of Amhara and our Eritrean brothers – directly or indirectly have participated in the Tigray War, they should be part of the Ethiopian-Tigray peace negotiations.”

–           DW states that Abala, a town on the Tigray/Afar border,  is a ghost town full of destroyed houses.

–           DW states that Tigray forces attacked the town, and that Afar militias counter-attacked. Tigrayans and Afar populations accuse each other of committing atrocities.

Situation in Eritrea (per 15 June)

–           A statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Eritrean forces in Tigray have continued to commit serious violations, including mass arbitrary detentions, as well as pillage and rape of Tigrayans in Western zone of Tigray.

–           HRW welcomes the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea and states that the Eritrean government has done nothing to stop the repression of Eritrean people.

International Situation (per 15 June)

–           The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing nearly $105 million in humanitarian aid to bring immediate relief to the most vulnerable and respond to the historic drought threatening millions of people in the Horn of Africa.

–           The Horn region is in the midst of a fourth consecutive failed rainy season with worsening drought conditions increasing the likelihood of famine for hundreds of thousands of people in the Horn of Africa.

–           According to The Guardian, a flight taking asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda, was cancelled at the last minute. 7 migrants were supposed to be flown by plane from London to Rwanda last night, but the European Court of Human Rights intervened at the last minute and stopped the expulsion.

Links of interest

 

ጋዜጣዊ መግለፂ ፕረዝደንት መንግስቲ ትግራይ ዶ/ር ደብረፅዮብ ገ/ሚካኤል

መንግስቲ ትግራይ ናብ ድርድር ኣይኣትዉን ዝበሎም ቀንዲ ነጥብታት እንታይ እዮም?

Twitter: Open Letter from the President of the Government of Tigray on peace talks

Twitter: 5.4 MT of essential medical supplies entered Tigray last week: UNHCR Ethiopia

Ethiopia, Italy signed €22 million loan agreement: Ethiopia Monitor

A politician representing the Amhara National Movement (NAMA) speaking at the Ethiopian Parliament

DW: The tale of a border town ravaged by the Tigray conflict

Statement to the Human Rights Council on Eritrea: HRW

Rwanda asylum flight cancelled after 11th-hour ECHR intervention

The U.S provides nearly $105 million for urgent aid amid worst drought in the Horn Africa