Moss Faki considers it a "unique opportunity"
US-African welcomes Tigray forces' readiness to accept a peace process
The position of the front coincides with the Ethiopian New Year.
Reuters
Yesterday, the White House said that it "welcomes" the statement of the forces of the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, in which it announced its acceptance of a peace process led by the African Union.
"It is time for both sides to stop fighting and turn to dialogue to resolve their differences," White House spokeswoman Karen-Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One.
She added that Ethiopia must "seize this moment to give peace a chance," and that "Eritrea and others must stay out of the conflict."
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moss Faki, welcomed the announcement of the Tigray forces, considering that the move constitutes a "unique opportunity" to put an end to the conflict that has been going on for nearly two years in Ethiopia.
In a statement, Moss Faki urged "the two parties to work urgently to reach an immediate armistice and to engage in direct talks within the framework of an African Union-led process that includes agreed international partners."
The announcement came in the midst of international diplomatic efforts being made since fighting renewed last month for the first time in months in the development of torpedoing a humanitarian truce in northern Ethiopia.
"The Tigray government is ready to participate in an active peace process under the auspices of the African Union," a statement from the authorities in the northernmost region of Tigray said.
"We are ready to observe an immediate and reciprocal cessation of hostilities in order to create an appropriate environment," the regional authorities added.
The Ethiopian government has long insisted that the African Union, based in Addis Ababa, sponsor any peace process.
However, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, until its announcement issued on Sunday, was strongly opposed to Olusegun Obasanjo, the High Representative of the African Union for the Horn of Africa, to play any role in this regard, justifying this position by his "closeness" to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The Ethiopian Minister of State for Peace, Tai Dindia, said in a tweet that the position of the Tigray People's Liberation Front is a "positive development", but stressed the need to "disarm the so-called (Tigrayan Defense Forces) before moving forward with any peace talks.
The position is clear.
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the parties to seize this opportunity for peace and take steps to end violence once and for all and opt for dialogue.
He stressed that the United Nations is ready to support the peace process led by the African Union.
The front's position coincides with the Ethiopian New Year, and does not refer to any preconditions, given that the Tigrayan forces affirm their adherence to a "credible" peace process with "acceptable" mediators from both sides and international observers.
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