US’ Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Mike Hammer, said his country is ready to offer its offices “if there’s an opportunity to help mediate” fighting parties in Amhara region.
Ambassador Hammer told a congressional hearing on US policy on Ethiopia held on Thursday that Washington has been clear in stating “there’s no military solution” for conflicts across Ethiopia.
The ambassador who helped mediate the cessation of hostilities agreement between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) last year added that the current US administration has made “every effort consistently to try to advance peace” in the country that has seen a significant rise in violent incidents in recent years.
Mr. Hammer stated he had spent two and a half weeks last month in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam during peace efforts between representatives from the government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA-Shene), an armed group designated as a terror group by Ethiopia’s parliament. He described the peace talks as “difficult.”
The talks eventually ended without an agreement for which both the government and the armed group trading accusation.
Mr Hammer said effort to bring peace to Ethiopia’s Oromia region would continue adding his office would welcome similar efforts in Amhara where armed groups have been fighting against government forces since August.
