Antony Blinken, the nominee to be President Biden’s Secretary of State (Foreign Minister) had a nomination hearing in the US Senate on Tuesday.
He is a long-serving government official and diplomat. Blinken served as Deputy National Security Advisor from 2013 to 2015 and Deputy Secretary of State from 2015 to 2017 under President Barack Obama.
Speaking at this hearing he made his views clear on several issues, including the Horn of Africa.
Horn of Africa
The U.S. needs to be more actively involved in the horn of Africa and “not be AWOL as problems emerge” like in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, Blinken said.
We must use the diplomatic weight with the government of Ethiopia, he said.
“Eritrean refugees are on the receiving end of atrocities. We have Eritrea possibly getting there and we have other states that are now affected. The potential for this to spill over is a real concern,” Blinken told the Senators.
There needs to be greater access to the region, more accountability, a restoration of communication and humanitarian assistance, and an effort to put dialogue in place to address key issues, he said.
Otherwise, Blinken said, he worries that the violence has the potential to destabilize the region. He also said he would consider appointing a special envoy in the region.
Blinken was favourably received at the hearing. Several Senators supported him.
This was the assessment of the Washington Post.
There was every indication that Blinken would be confirmed with a strong bipartisan vote, although Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), the incoming chairman, said earlier in the day that a panel vote was unlikely until at least Monday. After that, floor votes will have to vie for Senate time with President Trump’s impeachment trial.
One sign of the committee’s direction came from Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), a strong Trump partisan who opposed Blinken the last time he appeared before it, for confirmation as deputy secretary of state six years ago.
“I think you’re an outstanding choice, and I intend to vote for you,” Graham said this time around.
We expect more from teh New Joe Biden Adm
our brothers eritreans killed our children, mothers, aunts and uncles and great grand fathers !! . Ahwatina eritrewyiyan are heroes !! destroyed our heritages too. Words fail me to express and introduce you all those atrocities perpetrated by eritreans and those silences by eritrean refuges in abroad in a bid to remain innocent and cover up teh crimes committed by their people. eritrean refugees still contine to claim eritrea soldiers donot cross Ethiopian border .They just fear only for the safety of their family living in ethiopia and tigray is an exist for them to claim a better future overseas.
they killed us because woyane killed them for over 45 years and made them to flee eritrea and live a luxurious life in Europe , US and UK.Excellent story drafted and dessiminated by PJDF and accepted by eritreans undoubtedly as word of Allah.Insha Allah !
lastly, I donot see Oromo people condemning the war in Tigray and join their borthers and sisters in demonstration. You know many of soldiers in EDF, ethiopian forces are Oromos. Iis is our history and that of yours , afterall!
#oromo, #somalis-etiopians and many other #ethiopian brothers support you very much and would have shared with you the blood you are spilling. Unfortunatly they are under a gun-point rule implemented by the so called corrosponding regional administrations. As known every where they are #abiy creations and as such his puppets. You are under bombardment but related struggles are going all over the country and majority of #ethiopians will very soon stand by your side in broad day light!!
First of all we - majority of ethiopians - congradulate Jor Biden on his win. We are very much ecstatic with President Biden’s words during his inugural speech ” This is a win for equality and justice all over the world ” what a grat day it was.
Secondly, We thank you for the actions you are taking already to save our brothern #tigrepeople. I don’t have to elaborate here what is going on in our country #ethiopia. I am sure, you are aware of that already as you have been in touch with your allies - #ue and #england - whom have very much engaged and done wonderfull effort in saving the lives of our brothern #tigepeople in this on-going #genocide. There is very much left to do.
All we like to remaind you is that we are still waiting for the fruit of the equality and justice win. We are in a very dire condition. Please hurry up.