Ethiopian crisis: PM Abiy underscores need to support peace agreement
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday underscored the need to support the 2 November peace agreement signed between the government and the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) for the stability of the country.
The state-owned Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) quoted him as saying in an address to the Fourth Regular Session of the House of People’s Representatives that Ethiopia should end the war to nurture lasting peace and sustain its vision for prosperity.
Mr. Abiy said: “What is required of us now is to ensure lasting peace by implementing our promise. We must work for this.”
The Prime Minister underscored the need to diligently work for peace and support its process for it to be fruitful.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) has said it is committed to implementing the agreement signed between the commanders of ENDF and TPLF in Nairobi, Kenya, last Saturday.
The ENDF's International Relations and Military Cooperation Director-General, Major General Teshome Gemechu, on Tuesday told military attaches residing in Addis Ababa that the ENDF is ready to respect and implement the agreement.
“As we proceed to the disengagement, disarmament, retraining, and integration of armed combatants in a short time to come, your overall support in training and in related technical and capacity building as well as other activities related to this peace agreement is quite vital,” he told the military attaches.
Military Commanders of the Government and TPLF signed an agreement in Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday under which they made a commitment to unhindered humanitarian access and clarification of cessation of hostilities implementing arrangements.
Under the Declaration of the Senior Commanders Meeting on the Implementation of the Ethiopia Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, a joint body will oversee disarmament of the TPLF.
In addition the parties further committed to cooperate and facilitate the delivery of unhindered humanitarian access in the agreement.
Saturday's agreement followed talks between the military Commanders which started last Monday under the auspices of African Union (AU) High Representative, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Cessation of Hostilities agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, after an (AU)-led talks brokered by former President Obasanjo, former South African Deputy President, Dr. Phumuzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and former President Kenyatta.
Under the deal, they agreed to a permanent ceasefire and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The Ethiopian conflict started on 3 November, 2020 when the TPLF forces attacked the Federal forces in Mekelle and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed 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, destroyed livelihoods and created a huge humanitarian problem amidst allegations of human rights violations, including possible war crimes
The TPLF had dominated Ethiopian politics for years until Prime Minister Abiy's electoral victory in 2018.
-0- PANA MA 15Nov2022
