The United States has confirmed that it has lifted aid restrictions in some areas in Ethiopia following reports of improvement in human rights in the region.

White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby said the improvement on human rights occurred particularly after the cessation-of-hostilities agreement signed by the Ethiopian government and forces from its Tigray region in November.

“We are lifting some restrictions on certain kinds of assistance while pausing food aid,” Kirby said. “This decision, we believe, expands the tools available to us to bolster our support for a durable peace in Ethiopia.”

Also, the US State Department through its spokesperson said its assistance would support peace and reconciliation.

“The focus of resumed bilateral assistance will be to support further implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement and promote sustainable peace and reconciliation through efforts including demining, transitional justice, and accountability.

“We will continue to raise concerns and speak out about reports of serious human rights abuses, including by non-state actors in Western Tigray, and urge the government to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable,” the spokesperson said.

The Tigray Region is the northernmost regional state of Ethiopia. The Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob, and Kunama people.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) led the northern region into war with the federal government in late 2020. The conflict, which lasted till November 2022 when the African union and notable voices in the continent brokered a truce, rendered many displaced amid allegations of rights abuses by the Ethiopian government.

Despite the ceasefire, however, donors like the World Food Programme, the United States and some NGOs were forced to stop aid to the country in March after evidences of theft of the resources.

During the week, officials of Tigray’s Disaster Risk Management Commission said about 728 people had died of hunger in three of the region’s seven zones since the suspension of food aid.