clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

New US Horn of Africa envoy to visit Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Ethiopia

January 16, 2022 at 12:02 pm

The then US ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield is seen during his arrival at the Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey on July 10, 2019 [Evrim Aydın / Anadolu Agency]

The new US envoy to the Horn of Africa, David Satterfield, and Assistant Secretary Molly Phee will visit Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Ethiopia next week, the State Department said on Friday, calling on Addis Ababa to help end conflict in the country, reported Reuters.

“They will encourage government officials to seize the current opening for peace by ending the air strikes and other hostilities … and laying the foundation for an inclusive national dialogue,” it said in a statement.

On Friday, the United Nations human rights office expressed alarm at “multiple, deeply disturbing reports” of air strikes in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, saying at least 108 civilians had been killed this year.

Read: New US ambassador to Israel will not visit settlements, will support normalisation

Satterfield and Phee, whose is responsible for African affairs, will visit the three nations between Monday and Thursday, the State Department said.

In the Saudi capital Riyadh, they will back a “civilian-led transition to democracy” for Sudan and in the country’s capital Khartoum will meet pro-democracy activists as well as military and political leaders among others.

Huge crowds have regularly taken to the streets in Sudan demanding a return to civilian rule since an October 25 coup ended a power-sharing arrangement that began in 2019.

“Their message will be clear: the United States is committed to freedom, peace and justice for the Sudanese people,” the statement said.