Washington, DC - Today, Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after the Committee conducted a hearing on the status of the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia: 

“Today’s hearing on Ethiopia, held against the backdrop of a dynamic situation in the country’s Tigray region, underscores the scope and complexity of the conflict there. The Ethiopian government’s unilateral call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the last twenty-four hours opens the door for all parties to the conflict to come to the negotiating table in good faith. I welcome these developments and remain hopeful that the Ethiopian people will soon find the peace they so richly deserve. There is no room for bellicose rhetoric from those who seek to undermine this temporary reprieve from the shocking and unacceptable violence that has ravaged Tigray since November.  

“I commend the Biden Administration for its efforts to address the crisis in Ethiopia and urge further engagement on the ethnic tensions that continue to divide the nation. Until all parties to the conflict in Tigray uphold their commitments, the United States and Congress will continue to call for a full and permanent withdrawal of all Eritrean troops from Ethiopia and unfettered access for humanitarian workers who need to operate in Tigray. I am confident the United States will support efforts to prioritize the protection of civilians and de-escalation of violence that could potentially jeopardize this tenuous ceasefire.” 

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