Addis Ababa, May 25, 2021(walta) – Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia has received at his office Nick Dyer, the UK’s Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs.
During their discussion, the two sides covered a range of topics of common concern in the Tigray region.
Demeke thoroughly briefed the special envoy on the wide range of rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the region, including humanitarian supports to those in need.
He said two rounds of humanitarian relief deliveries that addressed the needs of 4.5 million and 2.9 million people respectively were carried out successfully, adding that the third round is already underway.
The Deputy Prime Minister also spoke about the efforts that the government has been undertaking to address the needs of IDPs and expand access to humanitarians that operate in the region.
Speaking about the alleged atrocities committed in the region, the Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that various groups, including the UN, AU, and Ethiopian Human Rights Commission are undertaking encouraging initiatives to probe into the matter.
He also touched upon the investigation that has been carried out so far by the FDRE Attorney General and other concerned bodies in Ethiopia.
Initiatives have been underway to return the region into normalcy by carrying out dialogues with opposition parties, civil societies, elders, and various societal associations, he added.
Reiterating the genesis of the law enforcement operation in the region, Demeke explained how the intransigent TPLF group has destroyed infrastructures and incapacitated public service institutions.
Concluding their discussions, the two sides noted the longstanding relationship that existed between the two countries and underscored the need to further cement it.