2 April 2024
Mekelle, Ethiopia – In a significant development for peace in Ethiopia, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Prosperity Party, the ruling party of Ethiopia, have agreed to hold regular political talks.
This move comes as part of efforts to implement the Pretoria Agreement, a peace deal signed in November 2022 aimed at ending the two-year war in Tigray.
A delegation from the Prosperity Party, led by Vice President and newly appointed Head of the Democracy Building Center Coordinator Office, Adem Farah, visited Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, today.
This marked Farah’s first trip to the region and aimed to restart political discussions that had stalled since the signing of the Pretoria Agreement.
Both parties acknowledged the delay in initiating talks as mandated by the agreement.
A press release issued by the TPLF stated that the visit and discussions focused on reviving the political process outlined in the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA).
The CoHA seeks to address the root causes of the conflict.
Farah was joined by other high-ranking government officials, including Defense Minister Abraham Belay and Transport and Logistics Minister Alemu Sime. Representing Tigray in the meeting were members of the TPLF Executive Committee, including Getachew Reda, President of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA).
The TPLF press release highlighted that both parties acknowledged the missed deadline for talks but have now committed to hold regular meetings going forward. This agreement is a positive step towards lasting peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia.
