US Appoints Veteran Diplomat Jeffrey Feltman As Special Envoy To Horn Of Africa - Blinken

Veteran diplomat Jeffrey Feltman has been appointed US Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and will lead the United States' response to the crisis in the region, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd April, 2021) Veteran diplomat Jeffrey Feltman has been appointed US Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and will lead the United States' response to the crisis in the region, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Friday.

"This appointment underscores the [Biden] administration's commitment to lead an international diplomatic effort to address the interlinked political, security, and humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa," Blinken said.

The Secretary of State noted that Feltman has held senior positions in both the US State Department and the United Nations and said he is "uniquely suited" for his new role given his decades of experience in Africa and the middle East, particularly in multilateral diplomacy.

Feltman would be engaged in negotiation and mediation to develop and execute an integrated strategy to address the complex issues afflicting the region, Blinken said.

"Of particular concern are the volatile situation in Ethiopia, including the conflict in Tigray; escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan; and the dispute around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam," Blinken said. "At a moment of profound change for this strategic region, high-level US engagement is vital to mitigate the risks posed by escalating conflict while providing support to once-in-a-generation opportunities for reform."

The European Union on Friday announced a $180 million humanitarian assistance package for the region, which aside from Ethiopia and Sudan, include Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania.