Top Ethiopian officials host U. S. Secretary of State

Ethiopia's Deputy PM and Foreign Minister hosted Wednesday (Mar.15) the U.S. Secretary of State. Antony Blinken.

The US top diplomat who's set to visit 2 countries on the continent; will first meet with Ethiopian federal officials and Tigrayan representatives in Addis Ababa. He'll discuss the implementation of the peace deal that ended the war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region as well as humanitarian support.

The conflict led the U.S. to suspend some preferential trade agreements with Ethiopia, which could also be on the agenda.  At the start of the meeting Blinken said "It's very, very good to be back in Africa, especially to be in Ethiopia at I think a very important moment, a moment of hope given the peace in the north that is taking hold and that continues to move forward [...]"

According to the U. S. department of state press statement, Blinken "will also meet humanitarian partners and civil society actors to discuss humanitarian assistance delivery, food security, and human rights." While there, Blinken will also meet with the African Union Commission Chairperson.

In the first ever visit to Niger by a U.S. Secretary of State, on March 16, Secretary Blinken will meet President Mohamed Bazoum and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou in Niamey.