Upper house speaker delivers message of PM Abiy to Presidents of European Council, Commission

Addis Ababa, June 10, 2021 (FBC) – The Speaker of the House of the Federation, Adem Farah, has delivered the message of PM Abiy Ahmed to the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the Eurpoean Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen yesterday.

PM Abiy’s message to President Von Der Leyen was handed over to EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic, while the message to President Michel was handed over to Mr. Simon Mordue, his Chief Foreign Policy Advisor.

Adem also met and discussed with EU Commissioner for International Partnership (INTPA), Jutta Urpilainen, and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic, and Mr. Stefano Sannino, Secretary General at the European External Action Service on issues of common concerns and interests.

The discussions with the EU officials focused on explaining efforts being made to undertake peaceful, free, and fair national elections on the 21st of June 2021, Ethiopia’s position on the ongoing GERD negotiations, the situation in Tigray, the efforts that are being made to address the humanitarian situation, and steps taken to redress Human Rights violation and other related issues.

EU officials have expressed their concerns and emphasized the need to further expedite access to humanitarian assistance in Tigray, commended the initial steps taken in the investigative process of human rights violations, and have noted the importance of the commencement of the joint investigations by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The discussions with the EU institutions has helped to communicate the all rounded efforts underway through the transition process, including the upcoming national elections, the situation in Tigray, and the ongoing GERD negotiations.