Ethiopia could lose access to lucrative US trad programs due to human rights violations unless they address the ongoing conflict and alleviate the crisis by January 2022.
According to reports, US President Joe Biden found that Ethiopia doesn't comply with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). As such, he's urging the Ethiopian government to take urgent action to remain in the program.
AGOA grants eligible sub-Saharan African nations duty-free access to the US market for their wide range of products.
This week's announcement came in the heels of the executive order Biden signed last month, which authorizes sanctions against those that perpetuate the ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia.
Throughout the past year, millions of Ethiopians have been at risk of starvation. After all, the ongoing conflict in the northern part of the country has not eased down.
Joe Biden's administration pleads for peace
Biden and his administration, as well as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, have been urging the Eritrean forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to end hostilities, but to no avail.
"We are urging the government of Ethiopia to take urgent steps by insuring an end to all gross human rights violations, granting unhindered access to international human rights monitors, removing barriers to humanitarian operations. We are urging all parties to halt military operations that are causing widespread loss of life and threats to civilians and to come to the negotiating table without preconditions," a spokesperson said via CNN.
The suspension of duty-free access to the thousands of products from the United States will gravely affect Ethiopia's economy. The country is already struggling due to the ongoing conflicts, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the United States has no other choice but to cut ties with the country if they do not immediately resolve their conflict.
Ethiopian PM releases statement
Ethiopia's Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration released a statement on Tuesday saying that they are extremely disappointed by the threat of the AGOA withdrawal. But they also said that the action would reverse if they comply with what Biden asks them to do.
The ministry also said that they will continue to try to correct any unintended and perceived wrongs to reverse the decision by Jan. 1, 2022.
US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman said that the United States could not continue its business relations with Ethiopia as its war approaches its first anniversary.
The UN, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission investigates
According to Al Jazeera, the United Nations and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission will release a report on Wednesday after looking into the alleged violations of human rights, humanitarian, and refugee law in the Tigray conflict.
According to VOA News, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his concerns over the increasing number of forces from the Tigray region advancing into Dessie and Kombolcha.
The United States is alarmed by reports of the TPLF takeover of Dessie and Kombolcha. Continued fighting prolongs the dire humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia. All parties must stop military operations and begin ceasefire negotiations without preconditions.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 1, 2021
On his Twitter account, he urged all parties to stop military operations and begin ceasefire negotiations.
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