By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – The African Union Commission chief on Thursday emphasized the need for collective efforts to build and sustain peace in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and the entire Horn of Africa as Ethiopians marked the first anniversary of the signing of a peace agreement that ended a two-year conflict in the north of the country.
In a statement, Moussa Faki Mahamat congratulated Ethiopians for embracing peace, national dialogue, and reconciliation.
The Ethiopian government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels agreed to cease hostilities on Nov. 2, 2022, in Pretoria, South Africa, ending the two-year conflict that had killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Both sides formally agreed on orderly, smooth, and coordinated disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration.
The chairperson reaffirms the full solidarity and commitment of the union to intensify support for the implementation of the peace agreement as the implementation moves to the crucial phase of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration, it said.
Faki reaffirmed the African Union’s backing to the people and government of Ethiopia in the consolidation of the gains made so far and resolution of the pending issues in implementing the peace accord.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in 2020, accusing the TPLF of attacking the federal army camps.
In the ensuing clashes, more than two million people were driven out of their homes in Africa's second most populous country.
Roughly 600,000 people are said to have died in Tigray, either as a direct result of war or from related issues such as famine or the lack of healthcare.
Faki applauded notable milestones being recorded in the implementation of the peace agreement such as the handover of heavy and medium weapons, the restoration of basic services, the resumption of schools and commercial activities in the Tigray region, and the establishment of the Working Group on Transitional Justice as well as the National Commission for Reintegration.
“These vital actions powerfully demonstrate the commitment of the signatory parties to chart a path for sustainable peace and security in Ethiopia,” he said.