Ethiopia angered by planned UN rights meeting calling it ‘regrettable’

ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian government has described as regrettable the planning United Nations Human Rights meeting which is set to discuss the human rights situation in northern Ethiopia.

This week, some European countries called on the UN Human Rights Council to convene. The UN rights council said the session will discuss the “grave human rights situation” in Ethiopia.

But in a statement, the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs said the Horn of African country said it is once again “perplexed and saddened by the regrettable situation that is unfolding at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.”

“After months of hard work by the joint investigation team which made its findings public last month, and after the commitment expressed by the Government to implement the recommendations set forth in the report, some in the Human Rights Council, who have utter disregard for the efforts made and work done by the Government, have felt the need to call for a special session with the aim to have some sort of an outcome to achieve what seems to be a politically motivated objective,” the statement added.

The statement said it “is not the first time Ethiopia witnessed such unjust and counterproductive attempt by some to exert political pressure. At the 47th Session of the Council, despite Ethiopian Government‘s repeated appeal for the Council to allow the joint investigation team to complete its work, these countries went on to adopt a resolution that neither involved the country concerned nor consider the call by others to withdraw the resolution.”

“After the release of the above-mentioned joint investigation report, the Ethiopian government welcomed the findings and established a High-Level Inter-Ministerial Taskforce to implement the recommendations therein.

“What is even more disheartening is the fact that, in the midst of these important undertakings, and with utter disregard for the work that has been done prior to the commencement of the joint investigation, some members still choose to advance their political agenda through the work of the Council.

“Ethiopia therefore calls on members of the Human Rights Council to categorically reject and vote against the special session and its politically motivated outcome. What should have been a priority for the Council instead was the urgent task of carrying out an investigation into the violations of human rights and atrocities committed by the TPLF terrorist group in the Afar and Amhara Regional States. It is unfortunate to witness that no such call has come forth from some in the Council. This has to be immediately rectified.

“The Government of Ethiopia would like to assure members of the Human Rights Council and the international community of its commitment to continue to engage in a constructive manner and fulfill its obligations under international law to respect, protect and fulfill human rights.”