On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced concern about the nationwide state of emergency announced in Ethiopia.
The spokesperson for Guterres, Stéphane Dıjarric, stated that the UN chief “is extremely concerned by the escalation of violence in Ethiopia and the recent declaration of a state of emergency… The stability of Ethiopia and the wider region is at stake.”
The state of emergency came after an extraordinary meeting of the council of ministers amid escalating clashes with the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Oromo Liberation Army – Shene (OLA).
On June 29, Addis Ababa declared a unilateral ceasefire and pulled out troops from Tigray, after which rebel forces expanded into the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions.
According to the UN, over two million people have been internally displaced due to the conflict, warning of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Especially over the last couple of weeks, TPLF rebels have made gains, capturing new territories and strategic towns deep in the Amhara and Afar regions.
In this vein, Dujarric added that Guterres reiterated “his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, unrestricted humanitarian access to deliver urgent life-saving assistance, and an inclusive national dialogue to resolve this crisis and create the foundation for peace and stability throughout the country.”
