Addis Ababa, June 10, 2022 (Walta) – In a press conference, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dina Mufti briefed local and international journalists on the latest developments in the areas of political, economic, and citizen-centered diplomacy.
Ambassador Dina Mufti told journalists that the Government of Ethiopia has established an inter-Ministerial committee comprising high-profile and skilled law enforcement personnel to implement the recommendations of the joint OHCHR-EHRC investigation report on alleged human rights abuses in the context of the conflict in the north.
The UN Human Rights body decided to rerun the UN-EHRC joint investigation incurring an unnecessary duplication of efforts and undermining the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
The proposed investigative works of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts should have also taken the demands of Ethiopians to investigate the human rights abuses committed by the TPLF in the Afar and Amhara regions into account too, he added.
Regarding peace and confidence-building measures, steps are being taken to pave the way for dialogue and lasting peace in the country. The Spokesperson cited the lifting of the state of emergency before its due date,
the release of high-profile prisoners, and the proposed all-inclusive National Dialogue a the major steps to ensure sustainable peace in the country.
The government’s decision not to enter the Tigray region after the TPLF forces were pushed back from the areas they had invaded in the Amhara and Afar regions is also the major taken by the government to this end, according to the Spokesperson.
The Government of Ethiopia is committed to the unfettered access to humanitarian deliveries to Tigray and other conflict and natural disaster-affected areas.
Regarding the border dispute with Sudan, Ambassador Dina said Ethiopia is pursuing peaceful mechanisms to address the situation.
Saying that Ethiopia is set to host the East African Art and Culture Festival from June 14, Dina noted the event will have a paramount significance in fostering regional integration in the social, economic, and political spheres besides facilitating a platform to share experiences in the artistic and cultural aspects.