Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on this morning’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote on the Ethiopia Peace and Stabilization Act:
“Last Spring, I traveled to Ethiopia on behalf of President Biden to meet with Prime Minister Abiy and engaged in several days of intense conversations with him about the situation on the ground and how to move forward in the peace process. After those conversations, a year of brutal civil war continued. Today, it is clear we need to recognize two realities. One, that there is reason for encouragement, with positive developments in recent days around commitments to a ceasefire, improved humanitarian access, and the release of political prisoners. Second, actions rather than words by parties to the conflict are necessary to achieve a sustainable and lasting peace in Ethiopia. The vote today in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will empower the Senate, if necessary, to move forward and consider the Ethiopia Peace and Stabilization Act on the floor if the progress of recent days does not hold. I pray this is not necessary and that we will finally succeed with a resolution to the dire humanitarian crisis and brutal violence in northern Ethiopia. But tragically we’ve seen this moment several times in the past year, only to see efforts at peace fall short. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress as well as the Biden administration to end this conflict and hopefully chart a more positive course for the U.S.-Ethiopia relationship.”
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