The leaders of Ethiopia’s Tigray region have called for the full implementation of the Pretoria agreement that ended the conflict between Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray rebels in 2022.
The bloc released a report about the agreement during the African Union Summit over the weekend in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
The two main leaders of Tigray, who also are political rivals, urged the AU to pay attention to the implementation of the agreement.
The AU-brokered agreement, reached in November 2022, required the cessation of hostilities, return of internally displaced people, disarmament, expedition of humanitarian access, and restoration of services in the region.
The agreement ended the two-year conflict and prompted the return of some social services.
Just over two months ago, the first phase of the Pretoria agreement’s disarmament, demobilization and reintegration program, known as DDR, was launched in Tigray. DDR aims to demobilize 371,971 combatants overall in Ethiopia, including 75,000 combatants from Tigray region in its first phase.
But the Tigray region’s leaders say there are outstanding issues. Some territories have not yet been returned by the federal government, and internally displaced people have not returned to disputed areas in Western Tigray.
The president of the Tigray interim regional administration, Getachew Reda, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, told AU leaders that “many contents of the agreement have not been implemented.”
“Most of the focus of the international community on DDR is on the first ‘D,’ the disarmament process, but the most important aspect for us is, where we disarm, should not be the end,” he said.
“Whether we demobilize and reinstate the people who have been the former combatants is something that should be taken into account. The international community, the AU, should take this process seriously, and it should continue to press all of us to focus on this part of the Pretoria agreement.”
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, who was president of the region at the time of the conflict, said that while the cessation of hostilities has been a “significant milestone” there have been shortcomings.
“We must acknowledge that critical components such as the constitutional restoration of occupied territories, the withdrawal of non-ENDF forces, and the resettlement of the displaced persons, as well as TPLF legal reinstatement, require accelerated action,” he said.
The “non-ENDF forces” that Debretsion refers to are Eritrean and Amhara region forces that have been allies of the federal Ethiopian National Defense force, or ENDF, during the conflict.
Eritrea denies having forces in Ethiopian territory. Regarding the resettlement of disputed Western Tigray, the Ethiopian government’s position is that it will be resolved through a referendum.
Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos said the way ahead must be conducted through “constructive engagement” and in “strict adherence” to the rule of law.
He told the AU that the Ethiopian government is taking steps to implement the agreement and it “must be fulfilled in the manner specified.”
Gedion added: “With good faith implementation, as provided in the peace agreement, we are convinced that the remaining and outstanding important measures are within our reach and could be fulfilled.”
AU chief negotiator and former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, said that the issues of the DDR program and contested areas should continue to be addressed in a phased manner until they are resolved, and that they should not “hold back the implementation of the agreement.”
He said the Pretoria peace agreement reflected the principle of “African solutions to African problems.”
“It underscores the capability of African statesmen and institutions to resolve conflicts and foster peace within our continent,’’ Obasanjo said.
Rift between Tigray’s leaders
The two main leaders of Tigray, Getachew and Debretsion, shook hands at Sunday’s AU event, but the duo have been involved in a bitter political dispute that crippled the region’s administration and functions for months.
The dispute is rooted in differences over the implementation of the Pretoria agreement. Debretsion accuses his former TPLF deputy chairman of not representing the region’s interests, a charge Getachew denies. The two also clashed over the convening of the TPLF party congress and the appointment of local administration.
TPLF held a congress in August during which it expelled 15 members including Getachew from the central committee, a move Getachew described as “null and void.”
Getachew accuses the TPLF leadership of orchestrating “a coup d’état” against his administration and alleges the TPLF leaders are working to dismantle the regional government. The TPLF has made the same accusation against Getachew.
Last month, over 200 Tigray security force commanders sided with Debretsion after staying neutral for many months, accusing Getachew of betraying Tigray’s interests.
Getachew hit back, saying the use of security forces for the benefit of a particular political faction is unacceptable.
On Thursday, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) suspended TPLF from conducting any political activities for three months because it has yet to convene a general assembly.
TPLF rejected the suspension, accusing NEBE of meddling.
“Whilst TPLF leadership is dealing and negotiating with relevant stakeholders to amend relations, the National Board of Elections is going out of its way to intervene and taint the party negatively,” TPLF said in a statement on Friday.
“As a signatory of the Pretoria agreement, we make clear our stand that the board is meddling. … We appeal to the federal government that if anything goes wrong, the responsibility lies on the board.”
In a statement on his Facebook page Ethiopia’s prime minister recently called on Tigray elites to solve their internal differences in dialogue, and he added that any other differences, be it with other forces or federal government, should be addressed based on the national constitution.
Mulugeta Atsbeha contributed to this report.
