Biden Administration Lifts Human Rights Violations Designation for Ethiopia: Unblocking Major IMF Program

According to an internal U.S. Treasury Department notification, the Biden administration has informed Congress that Ethiopia is no longer engaging in a “pattern of gross violations of human rights.” This decision will allow the U.S. and international economic aid to resume being sent to Ethiopia. The move comes as Washington seeks to improve its relationship with Ethiopia, one of the largest economies in East Africa, after the country emerged from a brutal civil war last year.

Despite this, the Biden administration’s decision to lift the designation demonstrates its eagerness to strengthen ties with Ethiopia, which it views as a crucial player in African security and development initiatives. Ethiopia is a leading contributor of troops to U.N. peacekeeping operations and is host to the African Union. U.S. President Joe Biden recently praised the Ethiopian government for its role in helping to support the rapid evacuation of U.S. diplomats and citizens from Sudan as the country plunged into conflict.

The Treasury Department has notified Congress that “based on a recent assessment of the State Department, [it] has determined that Ethiopia no longer is engaging in a pattern of gross violations of human rights.” This notification comes after a major international aid scandal in Ethiopia, where the U.S. Agency for International Development announced that it would suspend all food aid to Ethiopia after discovering “widespread and coordinated” theft of vital aid for millions of people still affected by the war and at risk of famine.

With this new notification from the Biden administration, Washington can begin resuming direct U.S. economic assistance to Addis Ababa and also unblock major International Monetary Fund programs to help Ethiopia’s economy by potentially covering gaps in government funding and reworking its government debt.