The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concerns over renewed conflict between the federal troops of Ethiopia and the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), main opposition party in the Tigray region.
In a statement delivered over the weekend by the Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq the UN urged all parties to exercise restraint, uphold peace agreements, and resolve differences through dialogue to avoid a return to broader conflict.
The UN chief warned that the situation threatens to reverse the gains made since the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement was signed in November 2022 and called on all sides to pursue peaceful resolution and rebuild trust.
“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the potential impact on civilians and the risk of a return to a wider conflict,” the statement said, emphasizing the importance of fully implementing existing peace frameworks and working with regional partners such as the African Union to consolidate peace in the region.
In a similar statement, the European Union, through its diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS), expressed grave concern over recent clashes between the forces.
The EU said immediate de-escalation is imperative to avert a renewed conflict that could have “serious consequences for civilians and regional stability.”
The EEAS reiterated that the November 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement remains the essential framework for resolving disputes through dialogue, and affirmed the EU’s readiness to support confidence-building measures toward the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
EU’s statement came after the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, urged all parties in Ethiopia’s Tigray region to exercise maximum restraint following renewed clashes in parts of contested areas between Tigray and Amhara regions.
MG/abj/APA