As the federal government has been effectively effectuating the Pretoria Peace Agreement, conflict-affected areas have set in motion seeing light at the end of the tunnel and taking a turn for the better at the earliest possible time. In the face of the positive developments bourgeoning in every corner of conflict-ridden areas, Ethiopia’s adversaries have been engaged in spreading cooked up stories that do not reflect the existing circumstances on the ground.
Other than that the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed between the federal government of Ethiopia and TPLF under the auspicious of the African Union has been bringing home the bacon at the earliest possible juncture. Other than thaton the heels ofthe unwavering stance of the government to beat swords into plowshares and effectuatethe peace accord, the northern part of the country has embarked on heading in the right direction.
No matter how far Ethiopia’s adversaries travel to drag through the mud the actual achievements blossoming across the country, all their accomplishments have been licking the dust and meeting with disaster.
The Pretoria agreement is where we have brought about cultural change by resolving conflicts peacefully. We have achieved a great victory by stopping shooting and starting services. Many services including banks, airlines and telecom have been put into operation. According to the agreement, we have started the work of returning the people displaced by the war to their homes. This initiative has to be continued strongly, according to information obtained from PMO.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed underscored that the Pretoria Agreement marks a cultural shift towards peaceful conflict resolution in Ethiopia.
In the 36th regular session of the House of People’s Representatives, Prime Minister Abiy said the agreement has resulted in permanent ceasefire and provision of services like banks, airlines, and telecoms, according to information obtained from ENA.
The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and TPLF was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, on the 2nd November, 2022.
According to the premier, the peaceful resolution of the conflict was a result of decision to end conflict with negotiation, and it is a great victory for the country.
“We have started returning war-displaced citizens to their villages per the agreement—a crucial step,” he noted.
Abiy appreciated the ongoing efforts to return internally displaced citizens to Raya and Tselemt areas.
He also mentioned that some quarters are attempting to obstruct the endeavors to return displaced people to their homes, and urged them to play positive role.
“The Pretoria Agreement needs to be carefully managed so that it does not backfire and no more people die. That is the way we are diligently working on. Most of the time, there are certainly forces that push toward conflict. We do not want conflict. We want to put our energy and time into development.”
The premier stressed that it is time to end this cycle of violence that Ethiopia has been facing for years.
PM Abiy noted that the reformist Government of Ethiopia has made a bold decision to establish a new political culture by inviting exiled political forces and armed groups from the outset.
“We reaffirm our commitment, and say; Let us abandon extreme and polarized political practices. All should be the owners of the country… So, let’s work together.”
The government prioritizes peace and has been making significant efforts towards peaceful resolution.
The premier noted that sustainable progress depends on peaceful dialogue and resolving issues without resorting to conflict.
It cannot be denied that since the beginning of the cessation of the hostilities agreement, noncombatants in the war-torn areas have set in motion breathing a sigh of relief and getting back on their feet.
In good truth, a significant amount of encouraging acts have been taken by both parties that signed the cessation of hostilities agreement in Pretoria, South Africa.
Speaking to the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) Addis Ababa University Political Science Lecturer Shimelis Hailuin the recent past stated that the Pretoria accord not only curtailed the damage that had been posed on the livelihoods of civilians, but also it tackled the immense damage that had been posed in strategic infrastructure.
Ethiopia’s ability to cease hostilities could be taken as a huge lesson for Africa as well as for the rest of the world. History has taught us that it took many years to reach an agreement for many countries in similar fashion as they failed to build trust on the outcomes.
He further noted that the agreement allowed putting an end to prolonged war that could cost the lives of many more civilians. Apart from serving as a model for African nations, this success shows a new path to peaceful resolution to differences for similar situations in the country.
Despite the fact that the civil war has remained part of Ethiopia’s history, it is crystal clear that nothing good has come out of wars. Thus, it could be a clear indicator that such agreements could bring lasting solutions in the nation.
The delivery of humanitarian assistance and recommencement of basic services have been making life easier in Northern Ethiopia in addition to putting smiles on their faces. There have already been speedy progresses within the context of basic services restoration in all quarters of the northern part of the country.
As peace is the foundation stone for human existence, authorities concerned have been standing by the side of the federal government intending to expedite peace implementation to the level expected.
The peace agreement has been assisting the path of ensuring lasting peace. It is worth remembering that since the beginning of the war, noncombatants in Northern Ethiopia have passed through twists and turns to reach where they are in the present day. Given the current circumstances, the country has been attaining major milestones in taking the country on the subject of the peace accord to a greater level.
In a press release sent to The Ethiopian Herald, MoJ disclosed that it is striving to present the transitional justice policy document to the Council of Ministers soon after finalizing the final text based on the deliberations raised in various validation workshops.
The Ministry of Justice said in the release that it will continue to review and address the huge volume of inputs received during the validation workshops and via written submissions.The next milestone involves completing the final text of the National Transitional Justice Policy and submitting the draft for approval of the Council of Ministers.
Ethiopia’s extraordinary journey in the public consultation and policy design process has come a long way since the establishment of the Transitional Justice Working Group of Experts (TJWGE) in November 2022.
The TJWGE concluded the most critical phases of its mandate – after holding 58 nationwide-in additions to 22 tailored workshops jointly organized with various local, regional, continental and international organizations.
It also noted that the TJWGE publicly issued the ‘Transitional Justice Policy Options: A Comprehensive Report of the Public Consultations Process’ in December 2023 and furthermore delivered the ‘Draft National Transitional Justice Policy’ in January 2024.
It is recalled that the African Union Commission (AUC) appreciated the progress in the implementation of the Demobilization, Disarmament, and Rehabilitation (DDR) of the TPLF ex-combatants pledging more financial and technical support for the process.This was disclosed at a press briefing held recently by the AUC Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye and Ethiopia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Misganu Arega.
During the occasion, the two parties signed a million USD grant that aimed to expedite the DDR implementation.
Speaking at the event, Commissioner Bankole said that the AUC has decided to grant a million USD to Ethiopia to support the progress of the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA). “This grant is the first-of-its-kind from the AUC as the Commission has established a Peace Fund that aims to finance peace agreements’ implementation in member states.” Ethiopia has become the first beneficiary of the Fund and the AUC will maintain its backing of the DDR processes until its full implementation.”
For his part, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Misganu Arega praised the AUC continued support for the DDR program and mentioned the Commission’s gesture that further funding is important for the full implementation of the COHA. “We have registered significant progress in the DDR with the AUC’s unwavering backing. This agreement is also another practical support which laid a millstone in financial mobilization.”
The AU’s contribution for the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement is crucialand visible. Since then, the Union upholds its support and the Ethiopian government is very much committed to work with the former in the DDR implementation, the state minister emphasized.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
The Ethiopian Herald July 7/2024
