WASHINGTON, — Tuesday’s statement by President Joe Biden indicated that he will remove Ethiopia from a U.S. Trade Program. This is in response to the country’s failure to end a nearly one-year-old war in Tigray, which has resulted “gross violations of human rights.”
In a letter addressed to Congress, Biden stated that Ethiopia does not meet the eligibility requirements to continue to be a beneficiary under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Sub-Saharan African countries are allowed to travel to the United States duty-free if they comply with certain conditions, such as eliminating U.S. investment and trade barriers and moving towards political pluralism.
The president stated that Ethiopia was guilty of “gross violation of internationally recognized human right.” Biden also mentioned Guinea and Mali in the letter as examples of countries not in compliance.
January 1 is the effective date of the sanction. Katherine Tai, U.S. trade representative said that her office would provide each country with “clear benchmarks for a path toward reinstatement and that our administration will work together to achieve this objective.”
The Ethiopian government had openly opposed the move. “We are very disappointed by the threat to withdraw AGOA currently under consideration U.S. government,” said the ministry of trade. It warned that the move would “reverse significant economic gains and unfairly affect and harm women and children.” Ethiopia will not stop trying to rectify any perceived or unintended wrongs.
Biden’s announcement was made as the war’s anniversary nears on Thursday. Jeffrey Feltman, U.S. Horn of Africa envoy, told reporters that parties to the conflict “don’t seem anywhere close” to a ceasefire or talks. He also called Tigray’s humanitarian conditions “unacceptable.” Thousands of people have been killed since the conflict began in November 2020.
Tuesday’s declaration of a state emergency by Ethiopia’s government was made after rival Tigray militias threatened to attack the capital. After seizing control of strategic cities Dessie and Kombolcha, the United States warned the Tigray, who have dominated the national government since before Abiy was elected, not to attempt to “besiege” Addis Ababa.
United States and United Nations claim that Ethiopian authorities prevented food trucks from entering Tigray with other aid. Thousands of people have died from starvation, according to The Associated Press.
In September, Biden signed an executive directive threatening to impose sanctions on Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmad and other leaders in the conflict that is now spreading to other parts of the country. If the war isn’t stopped soon.
“Without doubt, the situation is becoming worse and worse, frankly we are getting alarmed at the situation,” Feltman stated. He was referring to not only the Ethiopian government’s blockade of Tigray, but also the Tigray forces pushing into neighboring Amhara, Afar, increasing the humanitarian crisis.
Only 13% of the necessary humanitarian aid has reached Tigray over the past months due to “intentional” restrictions by the government. Some food distribution partners were forced to stop their work and “bodies have already consuming themselves because they are suffering from famine,” Feltman stated. “No government can tolerate an insurgency armed.” He acknowledged that he understood the situation, but said that no government should engage in mass starvation of citizens.
Feltman warned that the U.S. would not allow the Tigray force to “besiege” Ethiopia after they took control of strategic cities Dessie and Kombolcha over the past few days. This allowed them to use a major highway to get to the capital.
Ethiopia was one of Africa’s fastest growing economies in recent years. But the war has halted that growth.
Mamo Mihretu, Ethiopia’s chief trade negotiator, wrote last month that Ethiopia’s fledgling industrial sector could be under threat and that removing AGOA eligibility would only make matters worse for ordinary Ethiopians without any connection to the Tigray conflict.
He stated that Ethiopia had exported goods worth $28 million to America under the AGOA in 2000. In 2020, this figure rose to close to $300 million. Nearly half of that amount was under the AGOA.
He stated that Ethiopia’s expulsion from AGOA would “affect the welfare of millions” of low-income workers.
Mesfin Tegenu is the chairman of American-Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee. He estimated that there would be an immediate impact on some 200,000 jobs, most of them being low-income female workers.
Mesfin released a statement saying that “on behalf of the one-million members of the Ethiopian American community, we call upon the administration to think again.”
The special envoy to Ethiopia, Feltman, stated that officials from Ethiopia at a retreat held in Washington in June were warned by Feltman that relations between Ethiopia and the U.S. are at a crossroads. He said that these crossroads were behind them.
