text: Brussels, 26 November 2020
  The European Parliament held a debate on the recent confrontations in Ethiopia between the government and the TPLF in the northern province Tigray. Željana Zovko, EPP vice coordinator on foreign affairs and Vice Chair of the AFET Committee, took the floor and called for an immediate halt of the armed hostilities.
  In her intervention Zovko stated that as youngest leader in an African country, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed managed to make peace with its neighbour Eritrea after one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts. For this achievement, the Ethiopian Prime minister received the Nobel Peace Prize and mentioned in his acceptance speech that „war is the epitome of hell for all involved.“ Zovko expressed her concern that domestic tensions between the governmental forces and the TPLF have brought the weapons back in Ethiopia and that the country is moving towards a true civil war.
  „As winner of the world’s most renowned peace prize, the prime minister should himself reject the notion that he can resolve Ethiopia’s political crisis through force and also, the TPLF should immediately refrain from further hostilities and together, both parties should find the courage to solve their political divergences by peaceful and democratic means.” Zovko stated.
  Two months ago, the European Parliament adopted a report on the EU’s security cooperation with our partners on the African continent including in the Horn of Africa, for which Zovko was EPP shadow rapporteur. In this light, Zovko stressed that the current developments in Ethiopia, a crucial country in this region, risk spilling over to the neighbouring states. She stated that the European Union should remain supportive for the efforts of its partner countries and the African Union to prevent a bigger regional conflict and advocate an inclusive dialogue to reach peace, security and stability and that at the same time, humanitarian workers should have unrestricted access to all areas affected by the conflict and the European humanitarian entities should offer their continued assistance to Ethiopian refugees in the region.