Ethiopian crisis: US commends commiment of government, TPLF to peace agreement
Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The US has commended the Ethiopian government and rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) for their commitment to the 2 November peace agreement they signed in South Africa.
Ned Price, Spokesperson for the US State Department noted at a press briefing on Thursday that the fighting stopped immediately after the agreement was signed.
Thursday marked three months since the permanent cessation of hostilities agreement was signed in Pretoria, ending a horrific two-year conflict that claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions of people and triggered a huge humanitarian crisis.
Mr. Price said that over the past three months, there has been important progress by the parties in implementing key aspects of this agreement.
These include the 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.
"We commend the parties for their commitment to the cessation of hostilities agreement and encourage continued implementation, including ensuring the protection of civilians through international human rights monitoring, as well as following through on accountability for human rights abuses and transitional justice," Mr. Price said.
He recalled the statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last month that the the United States is committed to supporting the African Union (AU) and its High-Level Panel to ensure the cessation of hostilities agreement delivers a lasting peace and efforts to avoid further conflict and human rights violations in Oromia.
"We continue to seek peace and stability in Ethiopia to build upon the longstanding, strong partnership between our governments and our people," Mr. Price said.
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
