Ethiopian crisis: Ethiopian AIrlines resumes flights to another city in Tigray region
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Ethiopia's national carrier on Monday resumed regular flights to Shire, a second city in Tigray region, in line with a peace agreement that ended the bitter two-year war between the Federal Government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Ethiopian Airlines said the company resumed flights as per the federal government’s promise to effectively implement the peace agreement.
The state-owned Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) quoted passengers on the first flight as saying that the resumption of regular flights to Shire was a demonstration to achieve peace that they were looking for.
Ethiopian Airlines last Wednesday resumed regular flights to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray region, following instructions by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of various bodies to expedite resumption of services to the war-ravaged region.
There have been announcements by state companies scaling-up activities on delivery of services to Tigray region after a visit by a Federal Government delegation to Mekelle a week ago, led by the Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, Tagesse Chafo.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said last week that the airline would start with one flight per day to Mekelle and gradually increase the number, while efforts had been intensified to resume flights to other airports in Tigray region.
Basic services have been returning to life in the region with telecom services, operations of dozens of branches of banks and reconnection of electricity.
Some 107,000 tons of humanitarian aid, about 1,400 tons of medicines, and 10,000 tons of non-food items have also been delivered.
Roads and other infrastructures that were damaged are being reconstructed while hospitals have started providing services, ENA reported.
The Federal Police announced that it had resumed protecting federal institutions in Mekelle, such as the airport, power stations, telecom installations and banks.
The Cessation of Hostilities agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, on 2 November after AU-led talks brokered by former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African Deputy President, Dr. Phumuzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Subsequently, military commanders of Ethiopia and the TPLF also signed an agreement in Nairobi, Kenya, under which they made a commitment to unhindered humanitarian access and clarification of cessation of hostilities implementing arrangements.
A three-member mission was inaugurated last Thursday under the auspices of the African Union (AU) to monitor, verify and enforce the agreement.
The Ethiopian conflict started on 3 November, 2020 when the TPLF forces attacked the Federal forces in Mekelle and Prime Minister Abiy responded the following day.
There was a five-month lull in the fighting but hostilities resumed again on 24 August.
The fighting has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions of people, destroyed livelihoods and created a huge humanitarian problem amidst allegations of human rights violations, including possible war crimes.
-0- PANA MA 2Jan2023
