UN Security Council calls for 'lasting ceasefire', end of hostilities in Ethiopia

United Nations Security Council on Friday expressed “deep concern” about intensifying military clashes between dis Ababa and Tigray People's Liberation Front as it asked warring sides to negotiate a “lasting ceasefire” and immediately end hostilities. More than 2.5 million civilians have been displaced, and thousands have been killed in year-long conflict between Ethiopian government and rebel Tigrayan forces. 

Stressing that military offensive has rendered at least 7 million people in regions of Tigray, Amhara, and Afar in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, UNSC on v. 5 ted impact of conflict on civilian population in Ethiopia, as well as stability of country and wider region, according to a statement re by Mexico’s UN Ambassor Juan Ramon De La Fuente Ramirez, current council president. latter highlighted “ expansion and intensification of military clashes in rrn Ethiopia,” according to UNSC release on Friday. 

“ members of Security Council called for refraining from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness, and respect of international humanitarian law, for safe and unhindered humanitarian access, re-establishment of public services, and furr urged scaling up of humanitarian assistance,” UN Security Council stated in an official press statement, Friday. 

UNSC reiterates support for African Union's mediatory role 

UN Security Council urged for  creation of conditions to initiate an inclusive Ethiopian national dialogue to resolve crisis and create foundation for peace and stability throughout country. Furrmore, council reiterated its unwavering support for role of regional organizations, namely African Union, in resolving ongoing conflict and sustaining regional peace and security.  AU w faces mounting pressure to ramp up efforts to end worsening conflict. 

“Today Security Council breaks six months of silence and speaks again with one united voice on deeply concerning situation in Ethiopia,” said Ireland’s UN Ambassor Geraldine Byrne Nason in a press statement approved by 15 council members, as cited by Associated Press. “For first time, Council clearly calls for a cessation of hostilities. We believe this should happen immediately, and that all civilians must be protected.”

In this regard, UNSC took te of statement me earlier by Chairperson of African Union Commission on escalating conflict in Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as of vember 3. AU, which has its hequarters in Ethiopian capital dis Ababa, has a prominent role in peace negotiations. UNSC expressed support for African Union High Representative for Horn of African Region, retired general and former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, who has assumed a mediation role in Tigray-Ethiopia war as brickbats were hurtled on both sides over last year.

Just last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with AU High Representative for Horn of Africa’s Obasanjo to stress "urgency" of crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region as he pushed for a diplomatic focus on behalf of Joe Biden ministration. 

tably, TPLF’s spokesperson Getachew Reda h deunced Obasanjo’s appointment, saying it would be 'naive to expect this mission to work' because of AU's inherent bias towards Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. rrn group of Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region h also meanwhile rejected bloc's appointment of former Nigerian president accusing AU peace mediator of “partiality” towards Ethiopian government that h rendered negotiations ineffective in region wracked by violence since vember last year. 

“We are hard-pressed to kw how people would reasonably expect a constructive role from an institution that has given partiality a very b name. Solving a crisis at very least requires ackwledging existence, let alone magnitude, of problem,” Getachew wrote on Twitter.

members of Security Council welcomed Olusegun Obasanjo’s strategy and efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a prompt and peaceful resolution of conflict, as it strongly urged for cooperation with and support to African Union High Representative.  ditionally, council reaffirmed its “strong commitment” to sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity, and unity of Ethiopia. political tensions between Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed’s government and Tigray leers spiralled into a full-blown military confrontation last vember 2020.

war between rebel TPLF forces and Ethiopian soldiers led to latter fleeing Tigray capital in June. President Abiy declared a national state of emergency as he detained powers but infighting between Tigray forces and Ethiopia’s government has been out of control over last few months due to months-long Ethiopian blocke on Tigray region.