Ethiopia: Seven Former Ethiopian Diplomats Urge U.S. to Distinguish Opposition Alliance From Separatist Movements

Addis Abeba — Seven former Ethiopian diplomats, including former Foreign Affairs Minister Gedu Andargachew, have urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to distinguish opposition to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government from separatist objectives, warning that Washington's characterization of an opposition alliance risks oversimplifying Ethiopia's political and security crisis.

In a letter dated 26 October 2026, addressed to Rubio, the former officials challenged his recent remarks on C-SPAN concerning Ethiopia and Eritrea, particularly his description of certain opposition forces as "separatists" and his characterization of the Ethiopian government's actions as a response.

The signatories argued that such framing could misrepresent the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, which they described as a coalition seeking an inclusive democratic transition rather than the dismantling of the Ethiopian state.

The letter was signed by Gedu, a former foreign affairs minister and adviser to the prime minister on foreign relations; Berhane Ghebrechristos, a former minister-adviser and ambassador to the United States and European Union; and former ambassadors Fesseha Asghedom, Hailekiros Gessese, Mulugeta Zewde, Addisu Gebregziabher and Berhane Fesseha.

The former diplomats said the alliance's emergence should be understood in the context of Ethiopia's prolonged political and security crisis, marked by widespread violence, displacement, humanitarian emergencies and allegations of serious human rights violations.

They maintained that opposition to the federal government should not automatically be equated with separatism, urging Washington to assess the alliance based on its stated political objectives, conduct and verifiable evidence.

The signatories said the alliance maintains that its military operations target government military positions and are conducted as part of armed resistance and self-defense. They stressed that these claims, like those of other parties to the conflict, should be assessed against international humanitarian law and independently verifiable evidence.

The letter also raised concerns about alleged attacks by government forces on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, religious institutions and humanitarian operations. The former diplomats called for consistent civilian protection standards and accountability for all parties.

They warned that applying labels such as terrorism without distinguishing between political objectives, organizational conduct and responsibility for specific acts could delegitimize opposition while diverting attention from broader questions of governance and accountability.

Citing Ethiopia's strategic importance to the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea region and the Nile Basin, the former officials warned that continued instability could have consequences beyond the country's borders. Referring to a recent US Department of State statement, they said neither Ethiopia nor the wider region needed another war.

The signatories urged Washington to broaden its engagement with Ethiopian stakeholders, apply international humanitarian law consistently and support an inclusive political process leading to a credible democratic transition.

Similarly, on 22 October, 11 Ethiopian American civic and community organizations sent a letter to Rubio raising concerns about his references to "separatists" and "acts of terrorism" in connection with Ethiopia's conflict. They warned that such terminology could be interpreted as a broad characterization of armed opposition groups despite differences among the movements involved.

The organizations, including the Amhara Diaspora Global Forum, the Union of Tigrayans in North America, the Tigray Global Council and Vision Ethiopia, said the alliance had publicly identified preventing national fragmentation, restoring peace and stability, and pursuing an inclusive political transition as its objectives.

They urged Washington to distinguish between organizations' declared political objectives, independently verified conduct and responsibility for specific incidents. The groups also called for independent investigations into alleged human rights violations by government forces and accountability for those responsible.

Both letters called for continued US diplomatic engagement to help address the underlying grievances driving Ethiopia's crisis and support a peaceful, inclusive political process.

Read the original article on Addis Standard.