Addis Abeba-- Tigray's regional authorities say talks with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo during his visit to Mekelle produced no new proposals or tangible progress from Ethiopia's federal government on issues it considers central to peace and stability.
Obasanjo visited Mekelle on August 24 and met with Tigray regional President Debretsion Gebremichael. The visit was made without prior appointment, according to a statement from the Office of the Press Secretariat of the Tigray Regional President.
Addis Ababa real estate The Tigray authorities said it expressed disappointment over the lack of meaningful follow-up to discussions held in June, when five issues were identified as possible entry points for dialogue with the federal government.
Discover morePoliticalLocal newspaper deliveryPolitical analysis subscription These include lifting what they describes as an economic embargo and siege, ending the military encirclement and de-escalating the security situation, restoring territories remain occupied, facilitating the safe and dignified return of internally displaced people, and restoring the legal and political status of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
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Ethiopian travel guide Tigray said Obasanjo had previously indicated that he would return to the region within one or two weeks after consulting federal authorities, but that follow-up did not occur.
The administration said it therefore had "neither the appetite nor the political space" to repeat what it called a process of repeated discussions and unfulfilled assurances over the past four years.
Media consulting services Despite its criticism, Tigray authorities said it remained prepared to engage in a credible and time-bound dialogue with the federal government if the process is supported by major international partners.
Discover moreNewspapersMedia analysis reportsnewsMedia consulting servicesNewsPolitical commentary forumDigital news archiveAddis Ababa real estateOnline news portalNewspaper advertising space The United States, meanwhile, welcomed Obasanjo's latest visit and called for his continued involvement, warning of growing fears in northern Ethiopia over a possible renewal of conflict.
U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga and Walter Parks, Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Mission to the African Union, said Obasanjo's role in fulfilling his African Union mandate remained critical. They expressed hope that he would return to Tigray soon.
The U.S. officials also urged leaders to prioritize the worsening drought affecting millions and ensure that displaced people can return home safely and with dignity.
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Political commentary forum "We look forward to engaging former President Obasanjo" on the issue, the U.S. officials said, describing it as critical to the future of the Ethiopian people.
Obasanjo's latest visit to Mekelle follows an earlier diplomatic mission in June, when the former Nigerian president and African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa travelled to Tigray held talks with TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael on preventing a return to war and assessing implementation of the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement.
Ethiopian travel guide The June mission came amid renewed political and security tensions in Tigray and growing concerns over the durability of the Pretoria peace process. The agreement, signed in November 2022, ended the two-year war between the federal government and the TPLF, but several of its key provisions remain unresolved.
Obasanjo's return to Mekelle in August therefore comes against the backdrop of an earlier diplomatic effort that Tigray's administration says failed to produce meaningful follow-up. In its August 25 statement, the regional administration said Obasanjo had indicated after the June discussions that he would return within one or two weeks following consultations with federal authorities, but that the expected follow-up did not take place.
The renewed engagement comes as concerns over a possible return to conflict persist, with the United States warning that tensions and fears among communities in northern Ethiopia could lead to a renewal of the violence halted by the Pretoria Agreement. AS
