Ethiopia: ‘Quickly restore the rule of law,’ UN chief urges

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged leaders in Ethiopia to quickly restore the rule of law in the country as civil war intensifies in the Tigray region.

In a statement released by the United Nations on Monday, spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said Guterres “feels that it is essential to quickly restore the rule of law, in full respect for human rights, promote social cohesion, an inclusive reconciliation, as well as to re-establish the delivery of public services and guarantee unfettered humanitarian access.”

UN Secretary-General calls for ‘inclusive reconciliation’

With fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region running for more than a month now, the humanitarian impact of the conflict is increasing every day. The United Nations has expressed concerns over the displacement of citizens and the risk of human rights violations while emphasising the importance of unfettered access to provide humanitarian assistance where needed.

In the statement published by António Guterres spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric reiterated the UN’s commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts across the African Union.

“The United Nations remains totally committed to supporting the African Union initiative. We also remain fully committed to mobilizing the full capacity of the United Nations to provide humanitarian support to refugees, displaced people and all populations in distress.”

Ethiopian Prime Minister send government troops into the Tigray region after forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reportedly attacked a federal military base on November 4. Abiy Ahmed has called the group a “criminal clique” and denied the regional force’s claims that it’s ready to mount a protracted insurgency in the country.

Featured image: “The Humanitarian Crisis in Syria: Antonio Guterres” flickr photo by World Economic Forum https://flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/12118221445 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-SA) license

About Aaron Brooks

Aaron Brooks is a UK journalist who wants to cut out the international agendas in news. Spending his early years in both England and Northern Ireland he saw the difference between reality and media coverage at an early age. After graduating from the University of Chester with a BA in journalism, his travels revealed just how large the gap between news and the real world can be. As Editor-in-Chief at East Africa Monitor, it’s his job to provide a balanced view of what’s going on in the region for English-speaking audiences.