The United States has welcomed the momentous step taken in Pretoria on Wednesday to advance the African Union’s campaign to “silence the guns” with the signing of a cessation of hostilities between Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken who this disclosed in a statement released to eulogize the Commission and the extraordinary efforts of its High Representative Obasanjo, Ex-S’African Deputy Mlambo-Ngcuka, and Ex-Kenyan President Kenyatta, whose facilitation led to this significant step toward peace.
Recalled that South Africa played host in the peace talks between the government of Ethiopia and Tigrayan regional authorities facilitated by the African Union Commission over the conflict that have been going on for over a year in the Tigraya’s region of Ethiopia.
Reports says millions have been displaced, brutal attacks on civilians. A soaring death toll. Deliberate attacks on infrastructure. And little hope of a negotiated exit. Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region is enduring probably the most brutal and deadly war being waged in the world today.
However, the United States commended both Ethiopian govt and Tigrayan authority for taking this initial step to agree to end the fighting and continue dialogue to resolve outstanding issues to consolidate peace and bring an end to almost two years of conflict.
While welcoming the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilians that should result from implementation of this agreement, US also commended South African for generously hosting the peace talks.
Also, welcomed the statement of Ethiopian Prime Minister, Ahmed Abiy who expressed gratitude to the AU and share US support for his desire for an enhanced partnership to support reconstruction and development for all communities in northern Ethiopia affected by the conflict.
The United States remains a committed partner to this AU-led process and to our collaboration with the UN, IGAD, and other regional and international partners to support implementation of today’s agreement”, according to the statement.
The conflict which broke out in November 2020, following a political dispute in which the Ethiopian federal government and regional Tigray governments declared each other illegitimate.
The Ethiopian prime Minister and Nobel peace prize winner, Abiy said he was launching a strike on the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) because it had attacked an army base. Eritrea joined his cause.
Many fear that the TPLF could regain the political dominance it enjoyed for decades, while others accuse the prime minister of a power grab. The conflict has become messier, more fractured and more entrenched as it has gone on, with the neighbouring Amhara region also drawn in.