Deputy PM Demeke meets UN USG for Political, Peace Building Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo

Addis Ababa, July 28, 2021 (FBC) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen met on Tuesday with Rosemary A. DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

Discussing the Tigray issue, Demeke said the Unilateral Humanitarian Ceasefire was meant to help farmers in the region to employ the rainy season, although it fell on deaf ears so far.

The Government of Ethiopia is still committed to the ceasefire, although the TPLF has continued to misbehave and showed disrespect to the goodwill of the government, added the Deputy Prime Minister.

Demeke said, the warmonger TPLF has tried to choke off humanitarian corridors over the Addis Ababa-Djibouti line and has launched fresh attacks against the North-Eastern part of the country which the international community forgot to discourage.

DiCarlo, on her part, said the UN Secretary-General appreciates and supports the Unilateral Humanitarian Ceasefire and wants the other side to follow suit.

Regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Demeke noted that unnecessary politicization and Internationalization of the matter would contribute nothing but drag the negotiation process.

In this regard, the Under-Secretary-General affirmed the UN support to the AU-led process to reach amicable solutions to all negotiating parties.

Speaking about the 6th General Elections, Demeke said it was peaceful and transparent and paved the way for building a democratic system in the country.

During their discussion on the Ethiopia and Sudan border conflict, Demeke wondered why the international community failed to discourage Sudan from unlawfully occupying Ethiopian territories.

The Under-Secretary-General said that the UN understands that Ethiopia is the linchpin of the region, and its stability is indispensable to have a peaceful Horn of Africa adding that the border issue between the two countries should get a peaceful solution.