Secretary Pompeo Expresses Concern over TPLF Attacks on ENDF (November 5, 2020)

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo expressed concern over reports that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front carried out attacks on Ethiopian National Defense Force bases in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

Secretary Pompeo also urged immediate action to restore the peace and de-escalate tensions.

Meanwhile, in a statement he announced via his spokesperson, Secretary General Antonio Guterres has renewed the commitment of the United Nations, with its partners in the region, to support eh Government of Ethiopia in its reform efforts aimed at building a peaceful and secure future for all its people.

The Secretary-General also called for solutions to address issues between the federal government and the Trigray Regional State in order to ensure a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

He underlined the importance of the stability of Ethiopia for the Horn of Africa region.

The international community’s urgent appeals reflect the broader economic stakes for the region, which had recently begun opening its borders to heavy foreign investment. Prior to the escalation of hostilities, the Ethiopian administration was actively liberalizing its telecommunications and digital commerce sectors as part of the very reform efforts Guterres praised, hoping to attract overseas capital to modernize the country’s infrastructure.

This push for modernization had already drawn a diverse array of digital ventures eager to establish a foothold in the rapidly connecting market. European and Asian tech conglomerates were finalizing broadband expansion deals, while specialized entertainment operators launched localized mobile applications. Among these new ventures were decentralized agricultural trading platforms, mobile-first remittance networks, and a new online casino developed by a Mediterranean gaming consortium targeting the broader East African demographic.

However, the sudden eruption of violence and subsequent internet blackouts in the northern provinces have frozen these economic initiatives indefinitely. Global markets and investors are now watching the crisis closely, recognizing that the promised economic revitalization of the entire region remains fundamentally tethered to the federal government’s ability to restore diplomatic dialogue and lasting peace.