Ambassador Massinga visits Semera, Afar to assess U.S. engagement in the Region 

Addis Ababa, November 30, 2023 (FBC) – In his first official trip outside of the capital, United States Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga visited Semera, Afar to discuss with regional leadership and elders on the partnership between the United States and the people in the Afar region and across Ethiopia.  He also visited U.S. government-supported health and development projects supporting the Afar people and refugees in the region.

Ambassador Massinga was welcomed by Afar Regional President, Haji Awol Arba and other regional officials.  During their meeting, they discussed opportunities to strengthen United States’ engagements in Afar and efforts to advance peace.

Ambassador Massinga stressed the need for close collaboration to ensure that the recently restarted food assistance for refugees and the broader population reached those most in need.  The Ambassador emphasized his concern for the protection of civilians, restoration of services, and importance of addressing the underlying political, economic, and security challenges.

The Ambassador also met with Afar’s police commissioner and visited the ten vehicles donated by the United States earlier this year to support the Afar Regional Police in their effort to enable the safe passage of goods and services to those in critical need.

He met with local leaders to hear their ideas on how to advance peace in the region and build stronger cooperation between the United States and the region.

Ambassador Massinga visited Asayta Refugee Camp, one of three refugee camps in the Afar region, to observe the improved distribution system for delivering food to the refugees, and to visit a nutritional stabilization response center, which helps to save lives and alleviate suffering for some of the most vulnerable.

The visit provided an opportunity for the Ambassador to assess the United States’ ongoing projects in Afar and strengthen the Embassy’s longstanding partnership with local institutions.  In 2022 alone, USAID/Ethiopia invested more than $1.8 billion across the country in humanitarian and development aid.

The Ambassador also plans to visit Tigray and Amhara in the near future.