QUESTION: Could I ask you – in Africa, Ethiopia, the Ethiopia talks have (inaudible) in Joburg. Do you have any – I realize they just began, but do you have any assessment of how much we can expect, whether this could potentially result in something lasting? I know the Secretary made some calls over the weekend on this. Could you let us know about the U.S. involvement and a bit of what you expect from this?
MR PRICE: Sure. So as you know, the talks did just start today. Our Special Envoy Mike Hammer has been in South Africa. He was and has been today observing and participating in the talks. These talks, of course, are led by the AU. We are – stand ready to support African Union High Representative Obasanjo, former South African Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka, and former Kenyan President Kenyatta in facilitating an agreement. We do see these talks as an opportunity for the sides to end the fighting in Ethiopia and to restore peace and security for all of the Ethiopian people.
We’ve been actively involved diplomatically in supporting the launch of this mediation effort. As I’ve already said, our special envoy is present in South Africa. He will remain down there. Secretary Blinken has in recent days spoken to President Ruto. He has spoken to his South African counterpart, spoken to others as we set up and did some of the leg work to help assist these talks. But ultimately they are AU-led.
These talks, if they are successful – and we certainly hope they will be – can serve to bring about multiple ends.
One is an immediate cessation of hostilities;
two is the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all Ethiopians in need;
three is measures to protect civilians; and
fourth, importantly, is Eritrea’s withdrawal from northern Ethiopia.
There is – as we’ve said from the beginning of this conflict, there is no military solution to this conflict and this mediation effort provides a chance, it provides an opportunity to resolve the political issues and to achieve a lasting peace for all Ethiopians.
As this conflict drags on, the humanitarian conditions for millions in northern Ethiopia is deteriorating. Nine million people today are facing food insecurity, and as many as one million people are projected to be facing famine-like conditions in the region.
Humanitarian access as a result of this conflict has been largely blocked since last August, when it began to flare up once again, and emergency nutrition and health supplies have completely run out in many areas, and severely malnourished populations, particularly children under five, will start dying at alarming rates without immediate and additional supplies. That’s why we are prioritizing our support. We believe these talks are not only an opportunity to solve the political empasse to bring a cessation to the violence, but to provide much-needed relief to so many in the region who have been suffering as a result of the conflict.
https://www.state.gov/briefings/departm ... r-25-2022/