Interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Human
Rights Experts on Ethiopia. Delivered by the UK's Ambassador to
the WTO and UN, .
"Thank you, Mr Vice-President.
While the conflict in Ethiopia has diminished, it certainly has
not, unfortunately, disappeared. We are deeply concerned by
the latest reports of clashes in Amhara and Oromia, and the
continuing situation in Tigray, where Eritrean forces are still
present. The human rights implications of these are still
severe, and require independent investigation.
It is clear there are still deep divisions and tensions in
Ethiopia, which must be reconciled. In this regard, we
welcome the Pretoria Peace Agreement, which must be implemented
rapidly and in full. In particular, we stress the importance
of genuine accountability for violations and abuses, and a
credible, impartial, independent transitional justice process,
and note the Government of Ethiopia’s commitment to this.
We urge them to implement this in a way that is credible to all
victims, across all ethnic groups. We also call on Ethiopia to
work with its international partners in support of its stability
and economic development.
Commissioners,
Thank you for your important report, and your excellent
work. What do you see are the main barriers to
accountability for human rights in Ethiopia, and how can
implementation of Ethiopia’s Transitional Justice policy be best
supported by the international community?"
