MAINTAIN ETHIOPIA'S SUSPENSION FROM AGOA BENEFITS

I'm writing to express my concern about the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia and to ask for your help in urging Ambassador Katherine Tai and President Biden to keep Ethiopia's African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits suspended. As you may be aware, Ethiopia's conflict, particularly in the Tigray region has devastated the lives of countless people, resulting in widespread human rights violations and humanitarian crises. It is critical that steps be taken to put an end to these human rights violations and hold those responsible accountable for any wrongdoing. The continued suspension of Ethiopia's AGOA benefits could be one of these critical steps, as it is a powerful tool that can be used to encourage the Ethiopian government and other parties involved in the conflict to take the necessary steps to implement the cessation of hostilities agreement (CoHA) and put a stop to human rights abuses once and for all. This urgent recommendation comes because, despite the signing of the CoHA agreement brokered by the US, which contains guarantees for civilian protection, reports continue of civilians being killed by Eritrean and Amhara soldiers in areas of Tigray under the control of Ethiopian government forces. This, together with the Ethiopian government's multiple attempts to defund the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) multiple times, which was created to investigate war-related human rights violations in the country, and resistance to letting outside investigators into Tigray, show the lack of commitment to ensuring that human rights violations have halted in Tigray. The prolonged suspension of AGOA benefits sends a clear message to the Ethiopian government and other conflict participants that the United States is committed to putting a stop to human rights abuses and properly enforcing the CoHA. Additionally, it conveys to the Ethiopian people that the United States is in favor of their efforts to bring about justice and peace. Therefore, I urge you to support the suspension of these benefits until the cease-fire agreement is fully implemented and the conflict is resolved by urging both Ambassador Tai, the Head of U.S. Trade Representative and President Biden to continue the suspension of AGOA benefits to Ethiopia. By putting a stop to the violence and making sure that human rights are upheld, we can foster the conditions for economic growth and progress.