Ethiopian Prime Minister meeting with envoys from the African Union - former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.
African Unions envoys meeting Friday with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali ended with no apparent progess towards averting an attack on Mekelle, capital of the northern Tigray region. Abiy has demanded that regional forces surrender and urged international actors not to intervene, saying Ethiopia is capable of resolving the situation internally.
The envoys, three former presidents - Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mozambique's Joaquim Chissano and Kgalema Motlanthe from South Africa - have been seeking a negotiated solution for the conflict, which has already displaced 43,000 Ethiopians, according to UNHCR. In a statement after the meeting, Abiy expressed "utmost gratitude to President @CyrilRamaphosa & his Special Envoys for their concerted effort to understand our rule of law operations," he said in a Tweet. "Receiving the wisdom & counsel of respected African elders is a precious continental culture that we value greatly in Ethiopia." The African Union in a communique described the positions outlined by the prime minister but gave no indication of any further actions by the envoys.
Ethiopian Prime Minister meeting with envoys from the African Union - former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has denied that civilians were killed by the country's armed forces during an operation in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray - saying the "junta" ... Read more »
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has repeated an ultimatum to Tigray forces to step down or face heavy fire from federal forces outside the region's capital Mekelle. Abiy has given them ... Read more »
The Ethiopian government has reportedly rejected a mediation offer from the African Union, with officials in Addis Ababa falling short of calling the office of the continental ... Read more »
A group of people who have fled ongoing clashes in northern Ethiopia's Tigray region wait at a transit centre to cross into Sudan.
AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.