US President Joe Biden has decided to extend the presidential order for one more year, imposing sanctions on officials linked to the genocidal war in Tigray. According to the country’s law, a “national emergency” provision will expire unless a request is made to maintain it within 90 days before the end of the period. President Biden wrote in a letter: “Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to Ethiopia, declared in Executive Order 14046 of September 17, 2021, is to continue in effect beyond September 17, 2024.”

The President made this announcement on September 6, 2024. In their letter, he stated, “The situation in and in relation to northern Ethiopia, which has been marked by activities that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Ethiopia and the greater Horn of Africa region, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

The order allows sanctions to be imposed on those directly responsible, or their accomplices, for contributing to the prolongation of the war and obstructing access to humanitarian aid. The order signed by the President mainly targeted officials of the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as the administration of Amhara and members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Although the genocidal war in Tigray ended with the peace agreement signed by the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in Pretoria, the agreement has not yet been implemented. As a result, the people of Tigray, particularly internally displaced persons (IDPs), continue to suffer from the ongoing social, political, and economic crises stemming from the war. More than 40% of the territory remains under the control of invading forces, specifically the Amhara regional forces and the Eritrean government, with assistance from the Ethiopian government.

Meanwhile, while some IDPs have returned, many are forced to go back due to a lack of adequate support and reliable protection. More than one million IDPs and over 50,000 individuals in Sudan have not yet returned and are enduring hunger, cold, and rain without the prospect of returning home.