Ethiopia No Longer Place of Human Rights Violations: US

Ethiopia is no longer included on the US list of nations that violate human rights.

The administration of Vice President Joe Biden notified Congress that Ethiopia is no longer violating human rights, according to an internal notification from the US Treasury Department and officials familiar with the situation. As a result, a legal restriction has been lifted, allowing Ethiopians and other countries to once again receive economic aid from the US and other nations.

The United States government is taking this action in an effort to restructure its relationship with Ethiopia after the peace agreement was signed.

According to Foreign Policy, the most recent action taken by the Biden administration to lift the designation demonstrates that it is ready to improve ties with Ethiopia, which it views as an anchor for U.S. engagement on the continent and a significant participant in African security and development initiatives.

The Treasury Department will cease directing pertinent U.S. Executive Directors at international financial institutions to object to the extension of any loan, any financial assistance, or any technical assistance to Ethiopia, according to the newly sent notification to Congress.

As the chair of the African Union, Ethiopia provides a significant amount of military personnel to UN peacekeeping missions. More recently, as Sudan descended into conflict, United States Vice President Joe Biden praised the Ethiopian government for its support of the quick evacuation of American diplomats and citizens from that country. The swift evacuation of American diplomats and citizens was supported in part by the Ethiopian government, which received praise from Biden.