Ethiopia government and Tigray forces agree to end fighting after 2 years
- The warring sides agreed to a permanent cessation of hostilities, reaching a peace deal in a conflict with victims numbering hundreds of thousands
- Talks in South Africa have led to an agreement on ‘coordinated disarmament’, restoration of services and ‘unhindered access’ to humanitarian supplies
Ethiopia’s warring sides formally agreed during talks in South Africa to a permanent cessation of hostilities in a two-year conflict whose victims could be counted in the hundreds of thousands.
African Union envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, in the first briefing on the peace talks in South Africa, said Ethiopia’s government and Tigray authorities have agreed on “orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament”.
Other key points on Wednesday included “restoration of law and order”, he said, as well as “restoration of services” and “unhindered access to humanitarian supplies”. Obasanjo is a former Nigerian president.
“It is now for all of us to honour this agreement,” said the lead negotiator for Ethiopia’s government, Redwan Hussein. Lead Tigray negotiator Getachew Reda expressed similar sentiment, and noted that “painful concessions” have been made.
The war, which marks two years on Friday, saw abuses documented on either side. “The level of destruction is immense,” Redwan said.