The African Union (AU) sponsored peace talks scheduled for this weekend between the Ethiopian federal government and Tigrayan rebel leaders in South Africa have been delayed for logistical reasons, according to diplomatic sources, reported The Africa News.
On Wednesday, Ethiopia’s government and rival Tigray regional forces confirmed that they have accepted the AU’s invitation to talks in South Africa, which would be the first official negotiation talks between the two factions since war broke out in November 2020. Notably, there have been several attempts by international organizations to end the conflict in Tigray, but no formal talks have taken place.
Abiy’s government accuses the TPLF, which dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition until Abiy came to power in 2018, of trying to reassert Tigrayan dominance over Ethiopia.
The Tigray authorities said they were ready to send negotiators but sought more information on the structure of the talks, having previously insisted on the participation of international officials as observers.
The diplomatic sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the postponement was related to organising logistics and that a new date had not yet been scheduled.
The AU has said the talks will be led by AU special envoy and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, supported by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, a former deputy president of South Africa.
Fighting between the Ethiopian troops and rebel forces resumed across Tigray last month after a five-month cease-fire between March and August.
The latest upsurge has also drawn Eritrean troops in Ethiopia in support of the federal and regional forces, which are fighting the TPLF on multiple fronts in the country’s north.
Millions of people in northern Ethiopia have been uprooted from their homes and tens of thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the war so far. More than 5 million people in Tigray are in need of humanitarian assistance urgently.
