A response to the remarks made by H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, regarding the situation in Tigray during his address to the Parliament.
On 03 July 2025, His Excellency Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, appeared before the Forty-Second Regular Session of the Sixth Parliament, now in its fourth year of term. During the session, the Prime Minister provided a briefing on the circumstances surrounding the signing of the Pretoria Agreement, along with the outcomes and experiences that followed.
He further alleged that there is a renewed inclination in Tigray to return to conflict, attributed to misjudgements and misplaced trust in external actors. He stated, however, that the issue could still be resolved through peaceful means and called on religious leaders, diplomatic missions, intellectuals, and investors to play an active role in preventing further escalation.
In light of this, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) finds it necessary to issue the following clarifications and response.
1. On the Pretoria Agreement
The Pretoria Agreement was signed in good faith by all parties, with the backing of the international community. As acknowledged by the Prime Minister, it averted widespread bloodshed, revived hopes for peaceful resolution, enabled the resumption of essential public services that should never have been disrupted, and allowed socio-economic life in the region to begin recovering, despite various shortcomings.
Nevertheless, the agreement has not delivered on its foundational promises to establish lasting peace. While it temporarily alleviated some hardships, it fell short of addressing the deeper structural challenges. The Pretoria Agreement outlined key commitments: adherence to constitutional principles, respect for human rights, resolution of disputes through political dialogue, guaranteeing public safety, ensuring justice and accountability for war crimes, and reconstructing the devastated socio-economic fabric of the region.
Regrettably, the federal government has not fulfilled its obligations to uphold these pillars of peace. To date, millions of internally displaced Tigrayans have yet to return to their homes, due to the continued presence of occupying forces, unconstitutional administrative impositions, illegal settlements, and a conspicuous absence of concrete action. As a result, the people of Tigray remain disenfranchised displaced and exiled, stripped of their constitutional sovereignty, denied their democratic rights, deprived of security, and excluded from the pursuit of justice for acts amounting to genocide.
In sum, the people of Tigray continue to endure systematic discrimination, exclusion, and violations of fundamental rights. They deserve compensation and reconstruction not threats of renewed conflict.
2. Commitment to Peaceful Resolution
Despite the multitude of challenges encountered during and after the war, the people and leadership of Tigray have maintained their commitment to peace. Multiple attempts have been made to convene a high-level meeting under the auspices of the African Union to address outstanding issues in accordance with the Pretoria Agreement. While these efforts have yet to yield results, they will persist.
Rather than advancing dialogue, however, the federal government has exacerbated tensions by supporting and training militant groups in Afar and Western Tigray, obstructing the supply of fuel to the region, destabilising socio-economic activity, arresting Tigrayans in Addis Ababa based solely on ethnic identity, and orchestrating smear campaigns against Tigrayan institutions and leadership.
Despite such provocations, we have continued to exercise restraint, choosing the path of peaceful engagement in the face of pressure and injustice.
3. Reaffirming the Absence of War Intentions
Though the implementation of the peace accord has been severely delayed, and despite persistent breaches of the agreement, there is no appetite or preparation for a return to war on the part of Tigray. Our demand remains the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement especially the safe return of displaced persons and the restoration of Tigray’s constitutional sovereignty.
This demand is a testament to our unwavering commitment to peace—not a declaration of hostility. The people and leadership of Tigray firmly believe that all longstanding and emerging issues must be addressed through dialogue with the federal government.
We therefore welcome the Prime Minister’s stated belief in a peaceful resolution, and his call for religious leaders, embassies, intellectuals, and investors to support the peace process. We urge those parties to act decisively in helping to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.
At the same time, we renew our call for the African Union’s Pretoria Agreement High-Level Panel to urgently convene and assess the status of the peace process with a view to advancing its implementation.
4. Commitment to Observability and Transparency
To dispel any doubt surrounding our intentions, we invite the African Union’s Monitoring and Verification Team, the international community, diplomatic representatives, religious leaders, intellectuals, and investors to visit Tigray and see for themselves that the people, the Interim Administration, the TPLF, and the region’s security apparatus are committed exclusively to peaceful resolution.
Conclusion
Strengthening the peace process initiated by the Pretoria Agreement is not merely a regional concern, it is critical to the stability and prosperity of Ethiopia and the broader Horn of Africa. The international community has a responsibility to support this process and guard against developments that may undermine regional peace and security.
Our foremost priority remains justice and lasting peace.
Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)
05 July 2025