Ethiopian crisis: PM Abiy, TPLF leader Tadesse lead delegatons for first high level talks
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Top officials of the Ethiopian government and Tigray People's Liberation Front (TLLF) on Friday held high level talks as the peace agreement signed by the two parties in November last year continues to yield concrete dividends.
The government side was led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and included Deputy minister and foreign minister Demeke Mekonnen while the TPLF team included commander of Tigray forces, General Tadesse Worede, Ethiopian media outlets reported.
They shared pictures of officials of two sides in the meeting.
The state-owned Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) said: "The prime minister held this face to face discussion at the Halala Kela cluster section of the Koysha dine project in Dawuro Zone of southern Ethiopia, it was learned."
It said Prime Minister Abiy convened discussion with members of the peace agreement implementation coordination committee for the first time.
"During the discussion the ongoing implementation of the peace agreement was evaluated and directives have also been put forward on issues requiring further attention."
The Ethiopian Herald in a post said: "PM Abiy, Deputy minister and foreign minister Demeke and other officials have met today and held discussion with Tplf delegation regarding the progress of the peace process."
Thursday marked three months since the permanent cessation of hostilities agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, ending a horrific two-year conflict that claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions of people and triggered a huge humanitarian crisis.
Since then, there has been a steady and growing delivery of humanitarian aid, initial steps in discussions about a transitional justice process, the ongoing restoration of services – electricity, telecommunications, and banking – significant turnover of heavy weapons, and, in the past couple weeks, a pullback of Eritrean forces from the Tigray region.
The two feuding sides signed a Cessation of Hostilities agreement in Pretoria on 2 November after AU-led talks brokered by former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and former South African Deputy President, Dr. Phumuzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Subsequently, military commanders of the Federal government and the TPLF 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 at the end of last year under the auspices of the AU to monitor, verify and enforce the end of the war.
The Monitoring, Verification and Compliance Mission will monitor the implementation of the civil and military agreement in accordance with the peace deal.
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.
-0- PANA MA 3Feb2023
