IGAD, UN welcome Ethiopia's humanitarian truce in Tigray

© UNICEF/ Esiey Leul Displaced children collect water in Mekelle, capital of Tigray Region, Ethiopia.

NAIROBI, Kenya - Intergovernmental Authority on Development [IGAD] has welcomed humanitarian truce in Ethiopia which was a surprise declaration by authorities in Addis Ababa but was gladly appreciated by Tigray Defense Forces [TDF] who have been battling against the administration of PM Abiy Ahmed.

Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, said the move by the Ethiopian government was a positive step towards solving the Tigray conflict, which has entered the 15th month. The Ethiopian government announced the cessation of hostilities on Thursday.

The IGAD chief, taking into account of Tigray regional administration for agreeing to the humanitarian truce, asked both parties to respect the temporal temporary reprieve for the sake of the people to get much-needed humanitarian assistance.

He appealed to international partners to do all it takes to ensure that humanitarian assistance is scaled up and provided in a timely and predictable manner to the Tigray region and other regions affected by the prevailing situation of drought and food insecurity, state media reported.

For the sake of stability of the Horn of Africa nation, IGAD asked all parties to pursue durable peace through all available mechanisms including the national dialogue and the good offices of the Chairperson of the African Union and the leadership of IGAD.

Similarly, the United Nations through Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also welcomed the truce between Addis Ababa and Mekelle, which was reached on Thursday.

Guterres reiterated his call for the restoration of public services in Tigray, including banking, electricity, and telecommunications, and calls for all sides to proactively enable and facilitate the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance across all affected areas.

“The conflict in Ethiopia has caused terrible suffering for millions of people across Afar, Amhara, Tigray, Benishangul Gumz, and Oromia”, said UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement issued on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres.

TDF, which has been accusing Addis Ababa of blockades, urged “Ethiopian authorities to go beyond empty promises and take concrete steps to facilitate unfettered humanitarian access to Tigray”.

Since November 2020 when fighting first broke out, thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced. Efforts by both the African Union and United Nations to broker a truce between the two groups have not been successful despite assurances by PM Abiy Ahmed.

GAROWE ONLINE