Int’l Community Should Stand by Democratically Elected Gov’t of Ethiopia: Press Secretary
The international community should stand by the legitimately and democratically elected government of Ethiopia, Press Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister, Billene Seyoum underlined.
In her latest interview with Fox News, Billene said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is a unifier and has the responsibility to ensure that state order is maintained as the Commander in-chief of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF).
Asked on whether Abiy will bring lasting peace and unity in Ethiopia, Billene said “Indeed he is a unifier”. Any of the rhetoric and gesture that he has been engaged over the past three years prior to the heinous attack on ENDF based in Tigray was ensuring peace through dialogue despite they rejected in several occasions.
Regarding the advancement of the joint Ethiopian armed forces in the past weeks, she said since the Prime Minister headed to the front to lead the army from there is a seizure of the reversal of all of the gains that the TPLF has made.
She added that the TPLF is beginning to weaken and it is clear that they are also starting retreat as well.
The Prime Minster has wide popular support and through this unity there is effort to make sure that the TPLF is not a threat for the unity of Ethiopia.
On Abiy`s commitment to unity and settling peace in Ethiopia, Billene stated that “Abiy is committed to peace but he also has the responsibility as the Commander in-chief of the Ethiopian national defense forces as well as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to ensure that state order is maintained which the TPLF is a clear threat too”.
Citing that there is process that has been led to any political contestations and a space to address all the issues and she said “nobody more than the Prime Minister, more than the Ethiopian people and the Ethiopian government are much more concerned about the country”.
“The clear message to the international community is stand by the legitimately and democratically elected government of Ethiopia and ensuring that we are overpassing this turbulent period,” the Press Secretary noted.
With regarding to the humanitarian issues, Billene underscored that the TPLF has been the sore obstacles of the issue simply because they want it as weapon of internationalizing this issue.
“As we know issues of famine and issues of genocide, they have been putting as political agenda to gain the attention and sympathy of the international community,” she affirmed.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency