The situation in Ethiopia was on the agenda of the European Council of Foreign Ministers held on Monday 12 July in Brussels. At the end of the meeting, the European Union again called for the lifting of all restrictions on access to humanitarian organizations in order to avoid famine, and called on the Member States to participate in the donations.
The Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, said during this council that the situation in Tigray “had never been worse” and called on the Union’s states to be generous.
We are ready to support the people, but we call on our Member States to make donations as a clear sign of European solidarity. We must consolidate the ceasefire, withdraw all foreign forces from Ethiopian territory, stop human rights violations and launch a dialogue on national reconciliation in order to preserve integrity and unity. Ethiopia’s policy, which remains a clear strategic goal.
However, without uttering the words “individual sanctions”, the Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, nevertheless said that “restrictive measures” could be taken if the situation did not change.
Ultimately, we should be prepared to take restrictive measures where we believe they are justified and necessary to achieve these goals. I believe that the situation in Ethiopia would really require us to consider the possibilities offered by all available alternatives. And these options, restrictive measures, in my opinion, must be on the table.
Since Monday, rebel forces have announced that they have launched a new offensive in southern Tigray. The United States, Ethiopia’s traditional ally, reaffirmed “acts of ethnic cleansing” in Tigray and called on all parties to protect civilians.
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