The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called on the international community to support the bold step taken by the government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) towards ending the war in the region.
Guterres made the call following the peace deal between both parties signed on Wednesday in South Africa.
According to the UN chief, the peace deal represents ‘a critical first step’ in ending the brutal two-year war that has ravaged the region.
Fighting started in November 2020 between the Ethiopian troops and the TPLF after the government initiated a swift armed mission to bring the rebellious state of Tigray in order.
This immediately degenerated into a humanitarian crisis, leaving about 5.2 million people in need of life-saving assistance.
Around 20.4 million people soon became food insecure with 4.5 million internally displaced as the effect of the conflict coupled with the impact of climate shocks took its toll on the most vulnerable communities.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, the UN chief said the Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities brokered by the African Union and mediated by former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, was a promising start to finally stopping the fighting.
‘The agreement is a critical first step towards ending the devastating two-year-old conflict in which the lives and livelihoods of so many Ethiopians have been lost’, the statement read.
‘The Secretary-General urges all Ethiopians and the international community to support the bold step taken today by the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigrayan leadership’.
Guterres pledged his support to the parties in the implementation of the provisions of the agreement and urged them to continue with negotiations on the outstanding issues in a spirit of reconciliation to reach a lasting political settlement.
He also appealed to all stakeholders to seize the opportunity that the cessation of hostilities provides to scale up humanitarian assistance to all civilians in need and to restore desperately needed public services.
Photo source: Frehiwo03914124
