News Alert: EU following the situation in Ethiopia before confirming election observation mission
Addis Abeba, April 19/2021 – Barely a month and half before Ethiopia’s 6th national election scheduled on June 05 took place, the European Union’s High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell said the EU will “continue following closely the situation [in Ethiopia] in order to confirm our will to send an electoral observation mission in the country.”
Speaking at a presser shortly after the Council’s meeting this afternoon, Mr Borrell said he has informed the Council of his decision to send an electoral observation mission for the coming elections “unless the situation continues further deteriorating.”
The Ethiopian government “must show commitment to the organization of a national dialogue in the run up to the elections,”
Mr Borrell
“In the following days we will continue following closely the situation in order to confirm our will to send an electoral observation mission in the country, taking into account in Tigray for sure there is not going to be election; it would be impossible to imagine such a thing.”
The Ethiopian government “must show commitment to the organization of a national dialogue in the run up to the elections,” Mr Borrell said.
With regard to the war in Tigray which has resulted in massive humanitarian crisis, Mr Borrell said the EU has seen some announcement by the government of Ethiopia, “who went into the Tigray region by brutal sort creating a very dire humanitarian situation.”
In Tigray “the fighting is ongoing, humanitarian access is still being prevented; Eritrean troops are not withdrawing and human rights violations continue.”
Mr Borrell
He said the EU Council has received a report from the Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister Pekka Haavisto, who traveled to Ethiopia for the second time as EU’s envoy “to reiterate the European Union request” and asses the situation. “He was able to go to Mekelle, the capital, and to know from the ground how urgent a ceasefire, a monitored ceasefire, [is] to improve security condition in Tigray in order to make humanitarian work possible and the so many time announced withdrawal of the Eritrean troops should become a reality.”
As of now, however, “the fighting is ongoing, humanitarian access is still being prevented; Eritrean troops are not withdrawing and human rights violations continue.” AS
