But a source says neither side has confirmed its participation yet
05 October 2022 - 08:46
byGiulia Paravicini
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Nairobi — Ethiopia’s government has accepted an invitation by the AU to participate in peace talks aimed at ending a two-year conflict with rival Tigray forces, the prime minister’s national security adviser said on Wednesday.
Tigray forces have yet to respond to the invitation for talks this weekend in SA, which would be the first formal negotiations between the two sides since the outbreak of war in November 2020, two diplomatic sources said.
The conflict has killed thousands of civilians and uprooted millions. Both sides have previously said they were prepared to participate in AU-mediated talks but intense fighting has continued to rage across Tigray.
The Ethiopian government “has accepted this invitation which is in line with our principled position regarding the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the need to have talks without preconditions”, Redwan Hussein, national security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said on Twitter.
AU Commission chair Moussa Faki also invited Debretsion Gebremichael, who leads Tigray’s ruling political party, to the talks in a letter seen by Reuters. The letter was dated October 1, but Getachew Reda, a spokesman for Debretsion’s Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), said on Tuesday he was not aware of any imminent talks.
Getachew did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday about the Ethiopian government accepting the AU invitation.
The TPLF said in September it was ready for a ceasefire and would accept an AU-led peace process after previously raising objections to AU proposals. Olusegun Obasanjo, the AU high representative for the Horn of Africa, will lead the negotiations with support from former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and former SA deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, according to the AU letter.
No formal talks between the two sides were held during a five-month ceasefire from March to August. Fighting resumed on August 24.
Prime Minister Abiy’s government accuses the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition until Abiy came to power in 2018, of trying to reassert Tigrayan dominance over Ethiopia.
The TPLF accuses Abiy of overcentralising power and oppressing Tigrayans. Both dismiss each other’s accusations.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
AU talks between Ethiopia and Tigray in question
But a source says neither side has confirmed its participation yet
Nairobi — Ethiopia’s government has accepted an invitation by the AU to participate in peace talks aimed at ending a two-year conflict with rival Tigray forces, the prime minister’s national security adviser said on Wednesday.
Tigray forces have yet to respond to the invitation for talks this weekend in SA, which would be the first formal negotiations between the two sides since the outbreak of war in November 2020, two diplomatic sources said.
The conflict has killed thousands of civilians and uprooted millions. Both sides have previously said they were prepared to participate in AU-mediated talks but intense fighting has continued to rage across Tigray.
The Ethiopian government “has accepted this invitation which is in line with our principled position regarding the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the need to have talks without preconditions”, Redwan Hussein, national security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said on Twitter.
AU Commission chair Moussa Faki also invited Debretsion Gebremichael, who leads Tigray’s ruling political party, to the talks in a letter seen by Reuters. The letter was dated October 1, but Getachew Reda, a spokesman for Debretsion’s Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), said on Tuesday he was not aware of any imminent talks.
Getachew did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday about the Ethiopian government accepting the AU invitation.
The TPLF said in September it was ready for a ceasefire and would accept an AU-led peace process after previously raising objections to AU proposals. Olusegun Obasanjo, the AU high representative for the Horn of Africa, will lead the negotiations with support from former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and former SA deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, according to the AU letter.
No formal talks between the two sides were held during a five-month ceasefire from March to August. Fighting resumed on August 24.
Prime Minister Abiy’s government accuses the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition until Abiy came to power in 2018, of trying to reassert Tigrayan dominance over Ethiopia.
The TPLF accuses Abiy of overcentralising power and oppressing Tigrayans. Both dismiss each other’s accusations.
Reuters
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