Ethiopia's warring sides agree to stop hostilities: AU envoy

AP , Wednesday 2 Nov 2022

Ethiopia's warring sides have formally agreed to a permanent cessation of hostilities, an African Union special envoy said Wednesday, after a 2-year conflict whose victims could be counted in the hundreds of thousands.

African Union Horn of Africa envoy and former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo speaks during a p
African Union Horn of Africa envoy and former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo speaks during a press conference regarding the African Union-led negotiations to resolve conflict in Ethiopia at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) offices in Pretoria on November 2, 2022. AFP

 

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, in the first briefing on the peace talks in South Africa, also said Ethiopia's government and Tigray authorities have agreed on "orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament.''

Other key points included "restoration of law and order," he said, as well as "restoration of services'' and "unhindered access to humanitarian supplies.''

"It is now for all of us to honor 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.

Eritrea, which has fought alongside neighboring Ethiopia, was notably not part of the peace talks.It's not immediately clear to what extent its deeply repressive government, which has long considered Tigray authorities a threat, will respect the agreement.

Eritrea's information minister didn't reply to questions.

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