#ASDailyScoop: US pushes for DDR and transitional justice, negotiated resolution of Oromia and Amhara conflicts
Addis Abeba – The US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Mike Hammer, is set to travel to Ethiopia to urge the Ethiopian government to continue the implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement with an emphasis on making progress on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration as well as transitional justice and accountability.
According to a statement by the State Department, the special envoy will also “urge negotiated resolutions to ongoing violence in the Amhara and Oromia regions, calling on all parties to protect civilians, refrain from hate speech, and respect human rights”.
This comes in the backdrop of a recent hearing by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee titled “Ethiopia: Promise or Perils of the U.S. Policy” where the special envoy reiterated his country’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Oromia, and offered to mediate between the government and Fano if there are opportunities.
In his three-leg visit from 07-17 December 2023, ambassador Hammer will also be visiting Djibouti and Qatar to attend the 41st Extraordinary Summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Assembly Heads of State and Government and the Doha Forum respectively, where he is expected to primarily discuss the war in Sudan, according to the statement.
He “will support regional and international efforts on Sudan to end the conflict, promote a democratic transition, press for unhindered humanitarian access, and support justice and accountability for victims of the violence,” the statement conveyed. In Addis Abeba the special envoy will further discuss with African Union officials to coordinate efforts on Sudan among other regional issues. AS
