Ahead of next month’s elections, Ethiopia’s electoral body has said that “shortfalls are inevitable”, but that has been “taken aback” by criticism from five US senators.
In a letter last month to the US’ new special envoy for the Horn of Africa they called for the elections to be postponed because of ongoing security problems.
The polls have already been delayed once and will play out amid a growing political and humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region caused by fighting between government and regional troops.
Birtukan Midekssa, the National Electoral Board (NEB) chairperson, said they were trying to hold the elections in accordance with Ethiopia’s laws and international standards.
