UN Chief Says Ethiopia Now Sees Opportunity To Resolve Conflict

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday there is now an opportunity in Ethiopia to resolve the conflict in the northern region of Tigray and urged the parties again to cease hostilities

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2022) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday there is now an opportunity in Ethiopia to resolve the conflict in the northern region of Tigray and urged the parties again to cease hostilities.

Guterres said that earlier in the day he held a telephone conversation with African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo, who recently visited the capital of Tigray, Mekelle.

"Mr. Obasanjo briefed me about the efforts being made by the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) to move towards a resolution of the violent conflict and expressed optimism that there is now a real opportunity for a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict," Guterres said in a statement.

However, Guterres noted, ongoing fighting in some parts of Ethiopia hinders efforts to secure peace, and undermines confidence-building measures between the parties in the war.

"Let me reiterate my call on all parties to move rapidly towards cessation of hostilities as a critical step in the right direction for peace-making," Guterres stated.

The UN chief also expressed his concern about the humanitarian situation in different parts of the east African country and called on all sides in the conflict to facilitate efforts to bring aid to people in need.

Since November 2020, Ethiopia has been gripped by internal conflict, which began when the government accused the TPLF of attacking a military base and subsequently launched a counter-operation.

In December, the TPLF said that it had pulled its troops out of the provinces of Amhara and Afar, and three days later, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that the country's armed forces had completed its operation against the insurgents.

According to the UN's World food Program, due to the conflict, 9.4 million people across Ethiopia are in need of nutritional assistance, which is now at its lowest level due to attacks on aid workers.