Gregory W. Meeks, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned that the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia poses a serious threat to millions of lives and risks undermining prospects for lasting peace.

In a statement, Meeks described the situation as a potential descent into civil war, stressing the importance of a peaceful resolution in which no side is marginalised.

“All parties must be supported in their efforts to conduct elections in June free from conflict,” he said, adding that “the agreement of the parties must be fully operational.”

He emphasised that “the political challenges facing Ethiopia cannot be resolved on the battlefield. To secure a better future for the Ethiopian people, diplomacy and free, fair elections are the only viable pathways.”