Washington D.C. EVN (September 08) – President Joseph Biden has extended the executive order declaring a national emergency with respect to Ethiopia. Citing an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States stemming from the ongoing situation in northern Ethiopia, the President invoked Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, which requires a review and potential extension of national emergency declarations on their anniversary.
The original national emergency declaration was issued through Executive Order 14046 on September 17, 2021, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to address the escalating crisis in Ethiopia. President Biden’s decision to extend this declaration was spurred by the ongoing unrest, particularly in the Amhara region, which continues to endanger the peace, security, and stability of Ethiopia and the broader Horn of Africa region.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate, President Biden emphasized the continued significance of the national emergency, stating, “The situation in and in relation to northern Ethiopia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.” This extension will maintain the national emergency for an additional year, beyond its initial expiration date of September 17, 2023.
Consistent with the requirements of the National Emergencies Act, President Biden’s notice has been published in the Federal Register and transmitted to Congress. This extension coincides with recent developments in U.S.-Ethiopia relations. The Biden administration has privately informed Congress of its altered perception, stating that it no longer views Ethiopia as engaged in a “pattern of gross violations of human rights.” This shift in stance is expected to pave the way for the resumption of U.S. and international economic aid to Ethiopia.
The administration’s decision has sparked criticism from various quarters. Critics have argued that it overlooks mounting reports of human rights abuses, particularly against ethnic Amharas. Allegations of mass killings, displacement, and atrocities have been levelled, with federal forces accused of perpetrating gross human rights violations, including mass arrests, torture in detention centers, and extrajudicial killings.
The complex situation in Ethiopia, as well as neighboring Sudan and Somalia, continues to be a source of instability in the Horn of Africa. This region remains a focal point of U.S. foreign policy, with the Biden administration facing the challenge of balancing human rights concerns and strategic interests in its approach to this critical African nation
