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Friday, October 21, 2022 (Tikimit 11, 2015 EC)
To:
H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, High Representative for the Horn ofAfrica, AU
H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, Peace Envoy to the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, Kenya
H.E. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Peace Envoy to the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region,SA
H.E. Mike Hammer, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, USA
H.E. Annette Weber, Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, EU
H.E. Sarah Montgomery, Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea, UK
H.E. Xue Bing, Special Envoy forthe Horn of Africa Affairs, People’sRepublic of China
Cc:
H.E. President Macky Sall, Chairperson of the African Union andPresident of Senegal
H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
H.E. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations
H.E. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Introduction of the Amhara People’s Negotiations Delegation to promote inclusive negotiations to end war in Northern Ethiopiaand ensure lasting peace and stability in the wider region.
Your Excellencies,
The Amhara Association of America (AAA) continues to express its concern over the ongoing exclusion of Amharas from the negotiations process aimed to end the war in Northern Ethiopia. These sentiments were relayed in AAA’s statement on July 1st, 2022, then again on August 19th, 2022 in a letter signed by twenty-eight Amhara organizations worldwide. Unfortunately, your Excellencies have yet to heed the calls of the global Amhara community. The message has been the same throughout, achieving lasting peace and stability in Ethiopia requires inclusion of Amharas in peace talks. The inclusion of Amharas as a primary stakeholder would promote justice and accountability for war crimes and ensure any negotiated settlement receives wide reception and acceptance among Amharas, the largest stakeholder in the war. In accordance with this message and as per the suggestion of the 28 organizations that wrote you a letter dated August 19th, 2022 that stated, among other things, to stay in touch with AAA on the matter of negotiations, AAA has taken the liberty of preparing a list of Amhara representatives, based on a stringent criterion, for the AU-led peace talks toend the warin Northern Ethiopia.
The newly formed Amhara People’s Negotiations Delegation consists of four main negotiators signed on this letter with a broader delegation of more than 40 Amhara leaders from different segments of Amhara society serving in committees to support the leadership team. This inclusive delegation of Amharas offers a critical opportunity for all actors to seize to ensure peace talks are successful or else risk further conflict and destabilization of Ethiopia and the wider region.
Read the Full Letter…
