Afwerki slams UN policies in Horn of Africa

Isaias Afwerki, the Eritrean strongman, has slammed the United Nations over its role in resolving conflicts in the Horn of Africa, arguing that the global body has "not been effective” and calling for “a new approach” to peace efforts in the region.

Yemane Meskel, Eritrea's Information Minister, said Afwerki told Guang Cong, the new UN Special Envoy in the Horn of Africa, that the body has failed to resolve conflicts in the region despite massive support from member states.

The discussion also focused on regional development, with Afwerki raising concerns about the deployment of peacekeeping forces “without rigorous accountability modalities and holistic underlying frameworks” not yielding lasting results.

According to the Addis Standard, he added that the shortcomings of UN-led efforts should not be blamed solely on the organization, saying “the problem essentially stems from the prevailing flawed international order.”

Afwerki, who has cautioned Ethiopia against creating conflicts within the Horn of Africa, criticised regional organizations, saying their effectiveness has been “compromised” by “unwarranted external interventions,” which, he argued, have turned them into “vehicles for external agendas.”

On the situation in Sudan, President Isaias reaffirmed the “historical ties and partnership” between the two countries. He recalled that Eritrea had submitted a concept paper in 2022 proposing the establishment of a “popular governance structure based on citizenship” to support peace efforts in Sudan, the publication reports.

However, he said the initiative “could not make much headway due to external interventions,” which he claimed have worsened the conflict.

GAROWE ONLINE