The implementation of the ceasefire agreement between government forces and Tigray fighters in the north has been discussed in a conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“[The] Ethiopian Prime Minister and I discussed the urgent need to implement the cessation of hostilities agreement and to secure lasting peace in northern Ethiopia,” Mr Blinken said in a tweet.
In a readout of his call, Blinken stressed on the need to immediately implement the deal, “including withdrawal of all foreign forces and concurrent disarmament of the Tigrayan forces”.
Abiy has already reaffirmed the commitment of his government to the peace accord. The US was committed to supporting the African Union-led effort, including its monitoring and verification system for the peace agreement, according to the secretary of state.
In Tigray and the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, Blinken acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Ethiopian government “to strive towards unfettered humanitarian aid and restoration of basic utilities.”
Regional forces from Amhara and Afar, as well as Eritrean soldiers, have been battling Tigrayan fighters alongside the federal forces.
In a sudden decision on November 2, the Ethiopian government and the Tigrayan fighters decided to put an end to their two-year battle. There have been famine warnings and thousands of deaths as a result of the violence.
On November 15, 2022, a convoy of vehicles from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivered life-saving medical aid to Mekelle in the Tigray area of Ethiopia.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) drove two medical trucks to the conflict-torn territory on Tuesday, marking the first international relief delivery since a ceasefire to end violence.
On November 2, the Tigrayan forces and the government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a cease-fire, putting an end to two years of conflict.