Tuesday, February 18, 2025 – In a pivotal advancement for regional peace and stability within the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the African Union’s High-Level Panel, along with the Joint Committee and Monitoring, Verification, and Compliance Mechanisms, convened on February 16, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to assess the ongoing peace process in the Tigray Region. The focus of this meeting was the implementation of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), which was signed in November 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa, between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). This historic agreement marked the end of two years of conflict between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF.

The CoHA signifies a hopeful opportunity for both Tigray and the wider region to progress towards a sustainable and peaceful future. The dedication exhibited by both parties to uphold the African Union’s Agenda of Silencing the Gun by 2030, in alignment with the principles of African solutions to African problems, instills significant optimism for a peaceful future in Ethiopia.

We commend these collaborative initiatives and remain hopeful that, with a sustained commitment to the principles of the agreement from both parties, enduring peace can be realized in the Tigray Region and beyond.

We urge the High-Level Panel, the Joint Committee, and the Monitoring, Verification, and Compliance Mechanisms of the African Union, along with all pertinent stakeholders, to persist in upholding and implementing the principles of the CoHA agreement to ensure lasting peace and stability in Ethiopia. This commitment is essential for contributing to the continental Agenda of Silencing the Gun by 2030.

Finally, we appeal to all parties involved in the conflicts in Ethiopia to endorse the Global Peace 2030 agenda, reject all forms of violence, and strive towards the resolution of all conflicts.