Addis Ababa — African Union Commission (AUC) has reiterated its continued support for the implementation of ongoing Ethiopia's ex-combatants rehabilitating endeavors.
The National Rehabilitation Commission in collaboration with African Union Commission is undertaking a five-day roundtable discussion on field assessment of demobilization and reinsertion progress in Mekelle, Tigray regional capital in the presence of officials from, the interim administration of the region, and the African Union.
The discussion focuses on the implementation of reintegration of ex-combatants into the community based on the principle of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR).
During the occasion, Commissioner of National Rehabilitation Temesgen Tilahun recalled that the rehabilitating activity of former combatants through training has been officially underway with support of Ethiopian federal government and continental and international partners.
The commissioner stated that the forum will have a constructive role for reintegration of ex-combatants into their community through rehabilitating training as part of the implementation of rehabilitation activities which started earlier this month.
Some 640 ex-combatants have been reintegrated into their communities so far, Temesgen pointed out.
Enhancing the capacity of rehabilitating centers, collecting resources from local and international sources, facilitating the rehabilitating process, and strengthening capacity building activities are among the major priorities in the coming months, he revealed.
Accordingly, in addition to the Mekelle and Edaga Hamus centers, efforts are also underway to provide training for 75,000 ex-combatants in Tigray region up to the end of the coming February 2025 with the support of partners.
Addressing the forum, representative of the African Union Commission, Jocelyne Nahimana said the support provided to peace and security issues are part of the effort of creating a peaceful and prosperous Africa under Agenda 2063.
The representative stressed the need for coordinated efforts of various individuals and institutions as the implementation of rehabilitating ex-combatants through rehabilitation training is complex.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Stating that a comprehensive and successful national rehabilitation process requires a community-based approach, Nahimana affirmed that such approaches would have an essential role in creating reliable security for citizens.
Rehabilitating ex-combatants through rehabilitation training will not only disarming and reintegrating them into the community, but also make them productive citizens, the representative noted, pledging the African Union Commission to reinforce its support based on the framework of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
