The United Nations says the UN human rights chief will visit Ethiopia in May, at the invitation of the government, which had previously rejected UN and other outside offers to investigate months of deadly protests.
A statement by the UN says Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein will visit the East African nation between May 2nd and 4th and meet the prime minister and other officials along with civil society groups.
Ethiopia remains under a state of emergency declared in October after hundreds were killed amid anti-government protests demanding wider political freedoms.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn had rejected requests by the UN and European Union to investigate the protests in which the government says at least 669 people died.
Zeid also will meet officials from the African Union continental body, which is based in Ethiopia’s capital.
