Former Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Olusegun Obasanjo are set to lead Ethiopia-Tigray peace talks in South Africa on Sunday, October 8, 2022.
This comes after the Ethiopian government accepted the African Union’s (AU) invitation to participate in peace talks aimed at ending a two-year conflict with Tigray forces on Wednesday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ethiopian government stated that the talks should only be mediated by the African Union and should take place without any preconditions.
“The Government of federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia remains committed to adopting all possible measures to resolve the conflict in a manner that ensures lasting peace, territorial integrity of the country and will continue upholding this commitment.” Read the statement.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s national security adviser Redwan Hussein said on Twitter that the government had “accepted this invitation which is in line with our principled position regarding the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the need to have talks without preconditions”.
Last month, the AU welcomed the Regional Government of Tigray’s announcement of its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
In a statement, the African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, praised Tigray’s willingness to participate in an African Union-led peace process.
He emphasized the positive development as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore peace in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
In this regard, the Chairperson commended the regional government of Tigray for its willingness to engage in negotiations, echoing the Federal Government of Ethiopia’s call.
Faki has also urged both parties to work urgently toward an immediate ceasefire, engage in direct talks, and participate in an AU-led process that includes mutually agreed-upon international partners.
He reaffirmed the AU’s longstanding and ongoing commitment to a robust and credible peace process, founded on the commendable political courage displayed by both parties, which should help deliver on the legitimate aspirations and supreme interests of all Ethiopians for peace, stability, and sustainable development without delay.
The Chairperson urged the international community to increase its support for the ongoing African Union-led peace process.
Fighting has erupted in northern Ethiopia since August 24, with both sides accusing the other of firing first and violating a March truce.
The fighting began near Tigray’s southeastern border but has since spread west and north, with the TPLF accusing Ethiopian and Eritrean forces of launching a massive joint offensive on September 1.
For the first time since mid-December, the March truce allowed aid convoys to travel to Tigray’s capital Mekelle.
While welcoming the Government of Ethiopia’s declaration of an indefinite humanitarian truce over the Tigray region, the AU chairperson stated that it would expedite the provision of much-needed humanitarian aid to people in need in the conflict-torn region.
Faki also welcomed the Regional Government of Tigray’s announcement pledging to uphold the humanitarian truce and declaring an immediate cessation of hostilities.
