AU Urges Restraint as Ethiopia Tensions Raise Fears Of Renewed Conflict

GOOBJOOG NEWS | ADDIS ABABA: The African Union has urged Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan forces to step back from further escalation after renewed fighting and the seizure of key airports in the north raised fresh concerns over the future of the region’s fragile peace.

AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for an immediate de-escalation and a return to direct dialogue, warning that recent developments risk undermining the progress made since the 2022 peace agreement.

The appeal came after reports that Tigrayan forces had taken control of airports in Mekelle, Axum and Shire, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to the three airports because of the security situation.

Reports have also emerged of renewed fighting in areas of South Tigray and neighbouring Afar, adding to concerns that tensions between the federal government and Tigray could once again develop into a broader military confrontation.

The latest developments follow the formation this week of an alliance bringing together seven Ethiopian armed and political groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara Fano National Movement and Oromo Liberation Army. The groups say their objective is to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and establish a transitional administration.

The alliance is particularly significant because some of its members previously fought on opposing sides during Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 war. Their decision to coordinate has added another layer to an already complex security situation, although differences remain among the groups over political and territorial questions.

The AU has pointed to the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, signed in Pretoria in November 2022, as the principal framework for resolving the Tigray conflict.

That agreement ended two years of devastating war between the federal government and the TPLF and opened a process aimed at restoring stability and reconciliation in Tigray.

The renewed tensions are now putting that process under renewed pressure.

Youssouf said the reported occupation of civilian airports was inconsistent with commitments under the Pretoria agreement and called on the Ethiopian government and TPLF to return to talks.

He also urged Ethiopia’s neighbours to avoid steps that could contribute to further escalation and instead support dialogue and confidence-building.

The AU has asked its High Representative for the Horn of Africa, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, to engage the parties urgently in an effort to contain the situation.

The renewed crisis is unfolding as the wider Horn of Africa faces a period of heightened diplomatic and security pressure. The AU and UN have continued to emphasise the importance of regional cooperation, while Ethiopia’s internal conflicts remain closely linked to relations with neighbouring countries.

The immediate concern is aimed at preventing the collapse of the Pretoria framework and stopping a renewed confrontation in northern Ethiopia from developing into another prolonged conflict.

The coming days are likely to test whether diplomatic efforts can contain the latest escalation before it develops into a wider war.