Brussels, 7 July 2021
The Members of the European Parliament held a debate during the plenary session on the situation in Tigray in Ethiopia, where over the last 8 months a civil war takes place between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces and local military forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Željana Zovko said that an opportunity for a peaceful future is near after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front announced its willingness to accept a ceasefire, proposed by the Ethiopian authorities. Zovko called on both sides to find an agreement on the conditions of the ceasefire via diplomatic means.
„The violent actions need to stop as soon as possible for the good of the Ethiopian people. The atrocities have deteriorated the humanitarian situation in Tigray. More than 400,000 people are estimated live in famine and another 1.8 million are on the brink of it. This situation is a shame for all of us, as everyone remembers the famine in the 1980s and history is repeating itself,“ Zovko stated.
She said that coordinated actions of humanitarian support are of crucial importance at this moment and welcomed the clear commitment of the European Commission support the Ethiopian citizens and to prevent further humanitarian catastrophes.
However, aid workers still face difficulties in reaching out to the people in need. „The parties in the conflict should facilitate access of aid to all parts of Tigray and provide assistance according to the principles of international law. With the new NDICI – Global Europe Instrument we have the means to solve these problems but we should not cooperate with people wo don’t want to cooperate with us and save further lives.