Ethiopia Insight published on 20 May 2026 a commentary titled "The AU Turned Pretoria into Abiy's Shield" by Desta Haileselassie Hagos, Howard University.
This account provides one interpretation for the failure to implement the Pretoria Agreement in a manner that ends conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray Region.
The Financial Times published on 15 January 2023 an article titled "War in Tigray May Have Killed 600,000 People, Peace Mediator Says" by David Pilling and Andres Schipani.
African Union envoy and former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo said in an interview that about 600,000 died in the civil war that began in Ethiopia in November 2020. A research group at the University of Ghent agrees that this number may be close to accurate but others suggest casualty figures should be treated with extreme caution.
The Cable published on 30 November 2022 an article titled "Obasanjo: How I Helped to Resolve Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict" by Kunle Daramola.
This article explains the role former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo played in negotiating a peace agreement that has resulted in the cessation of hostilities between Ethiopian central government forces and those in Tigray Region.
The Associated Press published on 2 December an article titled "Eritrean Forces Still Killing Tigray Civilians, Report Says" by Cara Anna.
According to information compiled between November 17 and 25 by the Tigray Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), regional government offices, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organizations, Eritrean military forces killed 111 civilians and injured another 103 in eastern Tigray. There were also 39 kidnappings and widespread looting by Eritrean forces. As a result, Tigray forces say they will hand over their heavy weapons to the Ethiopian government only after Eritrea's military leaves Tigray Region.
India's Frontline Magazine published on 30 November 2022 an article titled "Peace Deal between Government of Ethiopia and TPLF a Welcome First Step" by John Cherian.
The article offers a review of the conflict in Tigray Region and provides a cautiously optimistic assessment of the peace deal going forward.
Evangelical Focus published on 17 November 2022 an article titled "Ethiopia and Tigray Reach Peace Agreement 'to Prevent Total Extinction of the Region', Say Evangelicals" by Jonatan Soriano.
Evangelicals welcome the Ethiopian peace agreement but fear the ethnic divisions in Ethiopia are so wide and deep that they will take generations to overcome.
The US Department of State issued a statement on 12 November 2022 titled "Resumption of Humanitarian Assistance to Northern Ethiopia."
The statement welcomes the humanitarian access permissions that have already been restored in Ethiopia as well as the firm commitments for humanitarian assistance to flow to Tigray Region and the affected areas of Afar and Amhara Regions. The US is the largest provider of humanitarian aid to Ethiopia, and will continue to deliver assistance to those most in need.
Reuters published on 12 November 2022 an article titled "Ethiopia Combatants Sign Deal to Start Implementing Truce" by Ayenat Mersie.
Meeting in Kenya, military leaders from Ethiopia's central government and Tigray Region agreed upon terms to implement the peace agreement signed in South Africa on 2 November. Significantly, they agreed that "disarmament of heavy weapons will be done with the withdrawal of foreign [read Eritrean] and non-ENDF (federal military) forces [read Amhara militia] from the region."
Comment: The continued presence of Eritrean Defense Forces in Tigray Region and Amhara militia in Western Tigray is a particularly sensitive issue and not specifically mentioned in the agreement laying out the roadmap for implementation of the peace deal. The reference to "foreign" almost certainly refers to Eritrean forces while non-Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) probably refers to Amhara militia.
Tigrai Press interviewed me on 11 November 2022 on the Ethiopian peace agreement. The 52-minute conversation moderated by Bisrat Kebede and titled "The Negotiations and America's Role" covered all aspects of the peace agreement.
The East African published on 12 November 2022 an article titled "Why Ethiopia's Peace Deal Banks on Eritrea's Next Military Move" by Aggrey Mutambo.
Since the signing of a peace agreement on 2 November between the Ethiopian government and Tigray authorities, Eritrean officials have been silent. The TPLF alleges, however, that Eritrean forces in Tigray are still fighting, killing and kidnapping. Disarmament of the Tigrayan forces will almost certainly not happen so long as Eritrean Defense Forces continue their attacks inside Tigray.
The Associated Press published on 7 November 2022 an article titled "New Round of Peace Talks between Ethiopia, Tigray Envoys" by Cara Anna.
Following the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement last week in South Africa, military leaders from the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and the Tigray Defense Forces met in Kenya to begin discussions on implementation of the agreement.
Reuters published on 7 November 2022 an article titled "Ethiopian and Tigray Forces Launch Hotline as New Peace Talks Begin" by Hereward Holland and Tommy Wilkes.
The Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces established a telephone hotline as part of an effort to help ensure implementation of the peace agreement.
The Somali Media Network posted on 6 November 2022 a 43-minute podcast with me as part of its "Weekly Focus on Horn of Africa" with Ismail Qodax.
The entire discussion dealt with the Ethiopian peace agreement signed in South Africa earlier this week and the challenges that it faces in the implementation stage, especially the role of Eritrean troops inside Ethiopia.
The New York Times published on 2 November 2022 an article titled "Ethiopia and Tigray Forces Agree to Truce in Calamitous Civil War" by Declan Walsh, Abdi Latif Dahir, and Lynsey Chutel.
Peace negotiators cautioned that forces inside and outside Ethiopia could yet derail the peace process and tip the country back into war. This appeared to be a reference to the government of Eritrea and Amhara militia forces, neither of whom took part in the peace talks in South Africa.
CNN published on 3 November 2022 an article titled "Warring Parties in Ethiopia Agree on 'Permanent Cessation of Hostilities'" by Bethlehem Feleke.
The Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian central government have agreed on a detailed program of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration for the Tigrayan combatants, taking into account the security situation on the ground.
Lead negotiator Olusegun Obasanjo said there will be a "systematic, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament, restoration of services, unhindered access to humanitarian supplies, protection of civilians, especially women children and other vulnerable groups." The African Union will monitor, supervise, and implement the agreement. Obasanjo added that "this is not the end of the peace process but the beginning of it."
Reuters published on 3 November 2022 an article titled "Reaction to Ethiopia Truce Deal."
The article contains the following statements, among others:
Olusegun Obasanjo, Head of the African Union Mediation Team
"This moment is not the end of the peace process. Implementation of the peace agreement signed today is critical for its success."
Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopian Prime Minister
"Our commitment to peace remains steadfast. And out commitment to collaborating for the implementation of the agreement is equally strong."
Getachew Reda, spokesman for Tigray
"Making peace has proved more difficult and more intractable and elusive than presiding over the killing of women and children and destruction of property."
Uhuru Kenyatta, former president of Kenya and facilitator for peace talks
"The lasting solution can only be dialogue."
The Washington Post published on 2 November 2022 an article titled "Ethiopian Government, Tigrayan Forces Agree to Truce after Two Years of War" by Katharine Houreld.
Reuters published on 2 November 2022 an article titled "Parties to War in Ethiopia's Tigray Region Agree to Stop Fighting" by Alexander Winning and Tim Cocks.
Olusegun Obasanjo, the African Union's high representative for the Horn of Africa, announced that "both parties in the Ethiopian conflict have formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities as well as to systematic, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament, restoration of law and order, restoration of services, unhindered access to humanitarian supplies, protection of civilians." The full document has not yet been released, but representatives of the central government and Tigray Region praised the agreement.
Comment: While this is a welcome outcome of the talks in South Africa and, hopefully, will lead to a permanent peace, history demonstrates that it is easier to sign peace agreements than to implement them.
World Politics Review published on 1 November 2022 a commentary titled "Ethiopia and the TPLF Are Now Talking Peace As They Fight On" by Chris Olaoluwa Ogunmodede.
The author concludes that the current peace talks in South Africa are unlikely to bring an immediate halt to a multilayered conflict with deep sociopolitical roots. But for better or worse, the talks represent the best hope for Ethiopians on both sides of the conflict.
South Africa's News 24 published on 29 October 2022 an article titled "Tigray Conflict Talks: Ethiopia Threatens to Cut Ties with Countries Pushing 'Sinister Political Agenda'" by Lenin Ndebele.
Ethiopia has threatened to cut diplomatic ties with countries that it believes are making politically motivated accusations about the civil war in Ethiopia.
The Associated Press published on 25 October 2022 an article titled "Ethiopia Peace Talks Have Begun on Tigray, South Africa Says" by Mogomotsi Magome.
Following new losses on the battlefield in the face of Ethiopian central government and Eritrean armies, Tigray leaders have joined those from Addis Ababa at African-Union led peace talks in South Africa.
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 12 October 2022 an analysis titled "China's Diplomacy in the Horn--Conflict Mediation as Power Politics" by Paul Nantulya.
China's most recent initiative to "mediate" conflicts in the Horn of Africa, including the appointment of Xue Bing as its special envoy for the region, has triggered intense speculation and confusion. China's approach of strengthening ruling governments means it is not viewed as an impartial actor--breaking a core rule of mediation. Its actions so far raise questions about the goals of its initiative.
