Ceasefire Pressure Grows As Ethiopia Suffering & Conflict Spreads

With Tigray forces advancing towards Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and the humanitarian crises escalating, the international community is stepping up pressure on the parties to the conflict to end hostilities.

East African leaders worry that escalating violence in Ethiopia could make it difficult to end the crisis, signalling a dangerous path for the country, while newspapers from Nairobi to Lagos are calling for a negotiated settlement, saying that "Ethiopia has once again put the future of Africa on the world stage for the wrong reasons."

On Friday the United Nations Securily Council asked the parties to refrain from "inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness."  Council members also called for "an inclusive Ethiopian national dialogue to resolve the crisis and create the foundation for peace and stability throughout the country."

Earlier, UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced concern in a Tweet on Wednesday "about the evolution of the situation in Ethiopia" and said he offered to assist in opening a "dialogue" in a phone call with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who earlier in the week declared a state of emergency. U.S. Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman travelled to Addis on Thursday in response to "continued escalation of armed conflict and civil unrest in Amhara, Afar and Tigray", the State Department said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, addressing the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, issued an urgent appeal for a ceasefire in Ethiopia.(screen shot)

Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, U.S. Special Envoy for The Horn of Africa, speaking to the U.S. Institute for Peace on U.S.-Ethiopia relations.

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