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FALMOUTH, England As G7 leaders prepared to reprimand the Ethiopian government for handling a military conflict in the Tigray region, the country’s foreign minister struck a preemptive blow on Saturday.
Minister Demeke Mekonnen accused the group of rich countries of “a condescending approach” and demanded that they “renounce such unnecessary activities”.
The G7 Sherpas on Saturday negotiated a final communiqué with a draft text saying the leaders were “concerned about the ongoing conflict”, calling for a “cessation of hostilities” and calling for a “comprehensive and credible political process”, according to one responsible close to the discussions. , who warned that the declaration was not completed.
The declaration of concern from the world’s richest and most powerful democracies comes shortly after top United Nations humanitarian official Mark Lowcock told Reuters that “food is definitely being used as a weapon of war.” in Tigray, where the Ethiopian army and its allies are located. fight against the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray (TPLF).
Having already rejected Lowcock’s claims, the government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has not waited for the final version of the G7 statement, which will be released on Sunday.
In a video statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke accused unspecified members of the “international community” of waging “a campaign” against Ethiopia.
A report released this month by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that 5.5 million people in the region are “facing high acute food insecurity,” including 353,000 are at the highest “catastrophic” risk level. The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the crisis on Tuesday.
Ethiopia was also criticized in a meeting between senior US and European aid officials this week. “The Ethiopian government’s military allies have burned and looted seeds and farm equipment and slaughtered oxen to ensure the fields remain fallow,” Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for Human Rights, said Thursday. international Development.
Demeke said accusations that his government had used hunger as a weapon of war were “a blatant lie”.
“Ethiopia is ready to work in a positive and constructive manner with all its partners to scale up humanitarian assistance, rebuild social cohesion and restore basic services in the Tigray region of Ethiopia,” said Demeke. “What the country needs at this critical time is the support of friends and partners.”
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