Eritrea condemned “
unlawful and immoral
”
sanctions
, making it “
a scapegoat
,” in a statement from the Information Ministry.
It received the support of Ethiopia which called on Washington to "
reverse its decision
", believing that the TPLF should be "
the real target of the sanctions
".
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for further talks between Addis Ababa and the rebels, ahead of his departure for an African tour next week. A lack of agreement between the parties "
would lead to the implosion of Ethiopia and would have consequences for other countries in the region,
" he said. "
The other option is to stop all the military actions in progress, to sit down at a table to negotiate a real ceasefire allowing access of humanitarian aid to all areas where the population needs it
" , continued Antony Blinken.
The US government has condemned both the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in power in the region, and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a former ally and Nobel Peace Prize winner, in this conflict which has claimed thousands of lives. deaths for a year and placed hundreds of thousands of inhabitants in conditions close to famine, according to the UN.
In early November, an investigation by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that possible crimes against humanity were committed by all parties.
Ethiopia spared
President Joe Biden paved the way in September for sanctions against all parties to the conflict.
But those imposed on Friday only target the military and political apparatus of Eritrea, one of the most reclusive countries in the world, subject to international sanctions.
Washington "
wants to give time and space
" to see if discussions between Ethiopia and the TPLF "
can progress,
" said Antony Blinken in a statement to justify having spared them.
The Eritrean regime militarily supported Addis Ababa by sending troops to Tigray, a region bordering its southern border.
The United States has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of these forces - which "
were responsible for massacres, looting and sex crimes
" in this conflict, the US Treasury said in a statement.
The sanctions target in particular the Eritrean army (EDF) and the Popular Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) of Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki, the only party authorized in Eritrea which gives "
direct orders to the generals of the EDF
", according to the treasure.
TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda praised him that "
at least (the United States) recognizes the role of Eritreans in the genocidal campaign in Tigray
".
But for Cameron Hudson, expert for the Atlantic Council, Abiy Ahmed “
remains responsible for this conflict and the fact of once again avoiding sanctioning the Ethiopian entities reflects the feeling that (the Prime Minister) can get involved (in negotiations) and that his approach to the conflict has changed,
”the expert explained.
Diplomatic efforts
In recent days, foreign diplomats have stepped up their efforts to try to achieve a ceasefire.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, African Union Special Envoy, and Mr. Feltman visited Ethiopia this week.
Antony Blinken will be in neighboring Kenya on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Addis Ababa issued conditions for talks with the TPLF, which has recorded significant victories on the ground in recent weeks and has not ruled out marching on the capital.
They include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of rebels from Amhara and Afar regions, and recognition of the legitimacy of the central government.
The TPLF in return demanded the entry into Tigray of humanitarian aid, blocked since October 18 while 364 trucks await an authorization, according to the UN.
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The most famous of the Tigrayans, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, denounced Friday the "
systematic blockade
" of this region which prevents the sending of food and medicine.
“
People are dying because of the lack of supplies,
” he said in Geneva.
The Ethiopian authorities are also accused of harassing or arresting Tigrayans employed by UN agencies.