U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman will step down from his post this month after more than nine months in the job, Reuters reports.
David Satterfield, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Turkey, will take up the role, the report say.
Feltman, a veteran U.S. diplomat, assumed the post in April and quickly found himself in the middle of two major crises – Ethiopia’s deepening civil war between forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the army of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as well as a military coup in Sudan in October.
The news of his departure, which was not previously reported, came before he heads to Ethiopia on Thursday to meet with senior government officials about the peace talks as part of Washington’s latest push to bring an end to the conflict.
Feltman, 62, said a “sense of duty” brought him out of “quasi-retirement” following more than 25 years as an American diplomat with postings to the United Nations, Middle East and North Africa.