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News: Ethiopia requests U.S. to revoke sanctions on Eritrea

Troops in Eritrean uniforms near the town of Adigrat, Ethiopia, March 18 2021. Picture: REUTERS/BAZ RATNER

Addis Abeba, November 13, 2021 – The Ethiopian government today asked the United States government to revoke its decision to impose sanctions on Eritrea. The government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia denounced the announcement made by the United States on November 12, 2021, to impose sanctions on Eritrea. In a statement the government of Ethiopia listed down what it called facts the U.S. failed to consider.  It also urged the U.S. to take actions against the real root cause of the current challenges in Ethiopia-the TPLF.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) yesterday designated Eritrean actors that have contributed to the crisis and conflict and undermined the stability and integrity of the Ethiopian state  pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14046. 

Sanctions were imposed on four entities and two individuals;  the Eritrean Defense Force, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, Abraha Kassa Nemariam, Hidri Trust, Hagos Ghebrehiwet W Kidan, and Red Sea Trading Corporation. 

The FDRE government argued that the Eritrean government reacted to the  imminent danger to its territorial integrity and security posed by the TPLF ‘when it fired rockets at a sovereign country, Eritrea, following its unprovoked attack on the Northern Command of Ethiopia’s National Defense Forces on November 3, 2020.’ Moreover, the Ethiopian government stated that it has never laid accusations regarding the initial presence of Eritrean forces on its soil in defense of their territorial integrity. “The prerogative to put forth such a complaint lies with the Government of Ethiopia and not any other country.” 

The statement went on to reiterate that Eritrea has evacuated its military forces from Ethiopia following the declaration of the Unilateral Humanitarian Ceasefire by the Government of Ethiopia at the end of June 2021. “The Government of Ethiopia does not believe that the State of Eritrea is an impediment to sustainable peace in Ethiopia,” the Ethiopian government said, standing its ground that ‘the real and present threat to peace in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa Region is the continued belligerence and aggression of the TPLF.’ It also accused the international community of emboldening the TPLF by failing to strongly condemn it. 

“If the purpose of sanctions is to compel parties to cease their destabilizing actions, the Ethiopian Government strongly believes that the real target for sanctions and further tougher actions by the US Government and the greater international community should be directed towards the TPLF.” Dispatch

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