Ethiopia in 'Much Better Place' For Talks But Millions Starving

Speaking on the last day of a five-day trip to Ethiopia, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, has said that the country is in "a much better place" to resolve the conflict that erupted 15 months ago in Tigray.

Mohammed is "encouraging the federal government to hold peace talks with all the stakeholders to end the ongoing human atrocities".

During her visit, the deputy chief met people living in the regions of Tigray, Amhara, Somali, and Afar, where she witnessed the tragedies of the conflict first-hand, but also learned of the efforts made by the government and people in Ethiopia, to end the fighting.

She called for the immediate end to sexual and gender-based violence, among other atrocities, and cited the need for comprehensive physical and mental health support.

Her visit came on the heels of the UN Secretary General António Guterres' latest call for cessation of hostilities to end Ethiopia's 15 months-old civil war. Shortly before his departure to attend the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022 on 01 February, the UN Chief has issued yet another appeal to end hostilities. In his appeal, the Secretary-General invoked the tradition of the Olympic Truce", which he said "has called on all parties, everywhere, to stop hostilities throughout the course of Games".

Meron Gebreananaye, Saba Mah'derom, Kiros Teklay and Wintana Tsegai for African Arguments report that millions of people have been left with nothing to eat and no medicine for even easily treatable conditions. Over a million people are under active famine conditions and hundreds, if not thousands, have already died. By setting conflict resolution as a precondition for humanitarian access, the government has also created a highly politicised and polarised environment in which anyone who speaks out about the blockade is labelled an enemy of the state.

This has had grave consequences for aid workers who have faced endless red tape, expulsion, harassment, detention, and even death. More than 20 aid workers have been killed since the conflict started.