It’s a ministerial visit “deliberately political” led by Catherine Colonna in Ethiopia. Accompanied by her German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs met the Ethiopian authorities for two days in the capital, Addis Ababa, to reposition the place of Europe and France there as Ethiopia emerges hardly from the Tigray war.
Berlin and Paris were carrying out a reconquest operation. The two chancelleries are keen to reoccupy political ground that was neglected during the civil war. In the Ethiopian capital, the ministers also represented the European Union (EU), which is still in trouble with the authorities in Addis Ababa because of Brussels’ frank stances on human rights violations during the conflict.
“Member States have expressed their wish for a gradual re-engagement in Ethiopia, provided that the peace process continues to yield results, particularly in terms of justice and the fight against impunity”, said Catherine Colonna. In the line of sight is the EU’s foreign affairs council on January 23, where the resumption of budgetary aid to Ethiopia, suspended for two years, will be discussed.
fragile peace process
In Ethiopia, France and Germany are walking on eggshells as the peace process remains fragile. On November 2, 2022, an agreement was signed in Pretoria between the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the insurgents of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (FLPT).
Ravaged by a fratricidal war since November 2020 and long under blockade, the province of Tigray, which has six million inhabitants, is breathing again thanks to the ceasefire. Basic services and telephone lines have resumed, humanitarian aid is once again being delivered and Tigrayan forces have begun to disarm. In addition, the resumption of air links to Mekele, the regional capital, has enabled families separated by the conflict to reunite.
But the Franco-German visit does not include a trip to Tigray or making contact with the Tigrayan authorities. Journalists still do not have access to the region. Because, despite peace efforts, Tigray remains cut in two today. In the north and west of the region, the Eritrean army and the forces of the Amhara region, both allies of Addis Ababa, continue to occupy large swaths of the territory.
The Pretoria agreement, however, provides that the disarmament of the FLPT “must be undertaken concurrently with the withdrawal of foreign forces from the region”. However, even today, the Eritrean soldiers occupy the towns of Axum or Shire. Eritrean and Amhara troops have executed 3,708 people since the signing of the peace agreement, according to a joint report by the Tigray authorities and UN agencies dated December 30 and to which The world had access.
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