The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has rejected European Union accusations that it is undermining Ethiopia's 2022 peace agreement, instead accusing the federal government of violating the accord and warning that the Tigray region faces a growing risk of renewed conflict.
In a statement issued in response to the European Union delegation's call for the urgent resumption of talks on implementing the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), the TPLF dismissed the bloc's concerns as based on "inaccurate information" that failed to reflect realities on the ground.
The EU on Monday urged all parties to resume negotiations and expressed concern over what it described as a deteriorating political and security situation in northern Ethiopia. It specifically cited what it called the TPLF's establishment of a parallel regional council and unilateral military conscription as developments that could undermine the peace agreement.
The TPLF denied establishing a parallel regional administration, calling the allegation "entirely unfounded."
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"There is only one elected Regional Council of Tigray, which has recently resumed its functions," the party said, adding that the council's reactivation followed consultations across the region and was endorsed by local administrations.
The TPLF instead accused the federal government of failing to implement key provisions of the Pretoria agreement since it was signed in November 2022.
It alleged that Addis Ababa had sought to marginalize one of the accord's principal signatories, the TPLF, and argued that repeated statements by senior federal officials questioning the agreement had hindered its implementation.
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The party also accused the federal government of imposing restrictions on fuel and commercial goods entering Tigray, saying the measures had worsened economic hardship, driven inflation and disrupted economic activity. It further claimed that internally displaced people remain without adequate assistance and alleged that military mobilization around Tigray, coupled with repeated drone strikes and aerial surveillance, had heightened tensions.
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The federal government has previously rejected similar accusations, maintaining that it remains committed to implementing the Pretoria agreement.
Responding to the EU's concerns over alleged military conscription, the TPLF denied enforcing compulsory recruitment.
It described the accusation as "unclear and unsupported by facts" and said authorities in Tigray have a responsibility to protect civilians amid what it characterized as growing security threats around the region. Any security measures, it said, would be undertaken within a legal framework to safeguard the population.
The TPLF also criticized the European Union for what it called its silence over alleged federal violations of the peace agreement, saying the bloc had failed to publicly press the government to fulfill its obligations under the accord.
Despite its criticism, the party reiterated that dialogue remains the only viable solution to the current impasse.
It called on the European Union and other international partners to encourage the federal government to engage in what it described as genuine political dialogue without delay, arguing that renewed conflict remains avoidable if the peace process is revived.
