U.S. Horn of Africa envoy Jeffrey Feltman is set to arrive Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital on Thursday for meetings with senior government officials to hold peace talks, in Washington’s latest push to bring an end to the conflict.
The year-long war between the Ethiopian government and the leadership of the northern Tigray region, among Africa’s bloodiest conflicts, has claimed thousands of civilians and displaced millions.
“Feltman will be in Addis on Jan. 6 for meetings with senior government officials to discuss peace talks,” the official said on Feltman’s visit to Addis Ababa.
Last week, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the withdrawal, and the Ethiopian government stating it did not intend to pursue those forces into Tigray, offers a window of opportunity for parties to come to the negotiating table.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a December 30 report, that airstrikes in Tigray have been sustained, reportedly killing dozens of civilians, and no aid convoys have been able to enter since mid-December.
The United States on Saturday cut Ethiopia from access to a duty-free trade program, AGOA following through on President Joe Biden’s threat in November to do so over alleged human rights violations in the Tigray region.
