Comment NAIROBI — Ethiopia’s government and Tigrayan forces formally signed a ceasefire on Wednesday, the biggest breakthrough after two years of devastating war that has threatened to tear apart Africa’s second most populous country. “Both parties to the conflict in Ethiopia have formally agreed to an end to hostilities as well as systematic, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament, restoration of law and order, restoration of services, unhindered access to humanitarian supplies [and] protection of civilians,” said Olusegun Obasanjo, the African Union’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa. The full document has not yet been made public, but the deal was announced on live television and praised by Redwan Hussein, Ethiopia’s federal government’s national security adviser, and Getachew Reda of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls many of the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Redouane thanked the countries that had supported Ethiopia and gave a nod to others. The European Union froze budget support to Ethiopia and the United States suspended Ethiopia’s valuable preferential trade status over human rights abuses committed during the war, including gang-rapes and mass killings of civilians by the Ethiopian military and his allies. “Our African sisters and brothers have remained true to their principled position that Ethiopians must own and resolve their dispute,” he said. “We hope others will learn … such a generous and steadfast direction.” However, he added, “it is now time to revitalize relations with our partners.” Getachew, of the TPLF, said militants and civilians were dying as he spoke, calling for the “immediate implementation of the agreement”. The conflict erupted in November 2020 after Tigrayan soldiers seized military bases across Tigray following months of deteriorating relations between the new central government and the TPLF, which dominated national politics for nearly three decades until the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018. Ethiopian troops seize strategic town in Tigray amid fleeing civilians It will be the second time during the conflict that the two sides have ceased hostilities. A five-month ceasefire declared by the government in March allowed convoys of desperately needed food aid into the region, but that deal collapsed with renewed fighting in late August. Since then, the Ethiopian army has occupied areas of western, northern and southern Tigray with the help of Eritrean soldiers. There have been several airstrikes that have killed large numbers of civilians. Two major parties to the conflict were not represented at the talks: the government of neighboring Eritrea, whose troops have seized large parts of Tigray, and representatives from Ethiopia’s Amhara region, which has a long-standing border dispute with Tigray. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has long been a foe of the TPLF and sees its leadership as an existential threat. Amhara leaders determined to maintain control of their disputed territory have forged a strong relationship with Eritrea, rooted in distrust of Ethiopia’s central government and deep enmity with the TPLF. Dessalegn Chanie Dagnew, a member of parliament for the opposition National Movement of Amhara party, said he welcomed the announcement but was disappointed that it does not formally recognize Amhara jurisdiction over the disputed region with Tigray. He also said the deal “lacks clarity on fairness and accountability”. Tigrayan militants also committed gang-rapes and killed civilians in Amhara territory, the United Nations said, although on a smaller scale. Eritrea’s information minister was not immediately available for comment. Air raid on kindergarten and the end of Ethiopia’s uneasy peace The conflict has already killed tens of thousands of people, left hundreds of thousands facing famine and destroyed health and education infrastructure in parts of northern Ethiopia. Doctors at Ayder Referral Hospital, the largest hospital in Tigray, said on Wednesday that they had stopped providing dialysis because they had run out of medical supplies. One described nurses crying as they sent home a much-loved patient to die a few weeks ago, his lungs filling with fluid because he couldn’t be cured.
