The UN-backed investigation into human rights abuses in Ethiopia is coming to an end after no country stepped up to request its extension, despite ongoing warnings of severe violations nearly a year after a ceasefire halted the brutal civil war.

Although the European Union led discussions on the matter, no resolution was introduced to extend the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia before the deadline at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. As a result, the commission will disband once its mandate expires this month.

The commission’s members urged the council to continue the investigation, raising concerns about ongoing atrocities in Tigray, Ethiopia’s northernmost province. The experts reported that Eritrean forces, aligned with Ethiopia’s military, are still committing acts of rape and sexual slavery in Tigray, along with extrajudicial killings and mass detentions amid new fighting in the Amhara region.

“There is a very real and imminent risk that the situation will worsen, and it is crucial for the international community to ensure that investigations continue to address these human rights violations and prevent further tragedies,” said Steven Ratner, one of the commission’s members.

European countries had previously supported the investigation to ensure accountability for war crimes during the two-year conflict in Tigray. Ethiopia has consistently opposed the commission, restricting its access to the country and accusing it of being politically biased. This forced the commission to work remotely from Uganda.

The commission, established in December 2021, followed a joint report by the UN and Ethiopia’s human rights commission, which recommended further investigations into abuses. It has since released two full reports, concluding that all sides involved in the conflict committed abuses, some of which may constitute war crimes.

The commission’s initial report accused the Ethiopian government of using starvation as a weapon by limiting aid to the region while it was under rebel control. Its latest report, published last month, criticized Ethiopia’s national transitional justice process for failing to meet international standards.

On Tuesday, the European Union announced a €650 million ($680 million) aid package for Ethiopia, signaling a step toward normalizing relations despite previous calls for accountability. A diplomat from the EU acknowledged that no resolution was introduced but urged the Ethiopian government to establish independent and transparent mechanisms for transitional justice, warning that progress was essential for maintaining relations.

Human rights advocates criticized the decision to let the investigation expire. Laetitia Bader, Horn of Africa director at Human Rights Watch, argued that this move effectively removes Ethiopia from the council’s agenda and represents a failure of the EU’s commitment to justice. She added that it is a significant setback for victims of the atrocities who had placed their hopes in the investigation.

The UN probe was the last major independent inquiry into the Tigray war, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and involved widespread massacres, sexual violence, and torture. Earlier this year, the African Union quietly halted its own investigation following pressure from Ethiopia, which has since promoted its domestic efforts toward transitional justice.