The United States Chargé d’Affaires in Ethiopia, Ambassador Tracey Jacobson, visited regional recovery and humanitarian assistance efforts in Bahir Dar. During her visit, she also met with Amhara Regional President Yilkal Kefale, spoke with beneficiaries of the U.S.-funded programs at Bahir Dar University, and re-opened the American Corner located at the Aba Mengesha Geneme Public Library.
During her meeting with Yilikal, Jacobson re-iterated the U.S. commitment to all Ethiopians wherever they live and the United States’ call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, unhindered humanitarian access, and transparent justice mechanisms to hold accountable those who have committed human rights abuses. She asked the president to actively support the movement of aid in the region. Ambassador Jacobson pledged continued support from the United States towards the region’s recovery, including direct humanitarian aid for those displaced by the conflict. In 2021 the U.S. helped nearly 3.8 million people in the region with life-saving food assistance and allocated nearly $900 million worth of aid to Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) is to receive the Human Rights Award 2022 from the German section of Amnesty International. The award will be conferred in recognition of EHRCO’s selfless human rights advocacy in Ethiopia, which it engages in at great personal risk. The award is endowed with 10,000 euros. The statement said that the EHRCO has been the voice of human rights in Ethiopia for over 30 years. Its employees investigate human rights abuses, provide legal advice to those affected and are involved in human rights education. Their advocacy is often associated with reprisals and personal risk. The outbreak of the armed conflict in 2020 in the north of the country, especially in the Tigray region, makes EHRCO’s human rights work indispensable.
“EHRCO is the voice of the unheard in Ethiopia,” said Markus N. Beeko, Secretary General of Amnesty International in Germany. “For 30 years, EHRCO has been fighting for those affected by human rights abuses. For this, its supporters have been insulted, imprisoned, tortured and even killed. Nevertheless, EHRCO never allowed itself to be intimidated. Amnesty International recognises this courage and advocacy in honouring EHRCO with the Amnesty Human Rights Award – the eleventh time the award will have been conferred.”