African Union Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo still hopes to end a year of war in Ethiopia through dialogue, while warning on Sunday that he cannot begin without a ceasefire -immediate fire.
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The former Nigerian president, who left Ethiopia on Thursday after meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) rebel group, said he was "
optimistic about the possibility of find common ground for a peaceful resolution of the conflict,
”in a statement released on Sunday.
However, as fighting has intensified in recent weeks and the TPLF has claimed significant territorial gains, he warned that "
such talks cannot be successful in a context of escalating military hostilities
".
“
I therefore appeal to the leaders of all parties to cease their military offensives.
This will allow the dialogue to continue to progress,
”he continued in the press release.
Olusegun Obasanjo is leading an international campaign to end a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives over the past year and displaced two million people.
In recent days, foreign diplomats have stepped up their efforts to try to achieve a ceasefire.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also called for further talks between Addis Ababa and the rebels on Friday, ahead of his departure for an African tour the following week.
A lack of agreement between the parties "
would lead to the implosion of Ethiopia and would have consequences for other countries in the region,
" he said.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is also involved in regional mediation attempts, landed in Ethiopia on Sunday for a one-day surprise visit.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister posted photos of himself and Mr. Kenyatta on Twitter.
Ethiopia on Thursday set the conditions for possible talks with Tigray rebels, including stopping attacks, withdrawing the TPLF from neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar, and recognizing the legitimacy of the government.
The TPLF is demanding that aid be allowed to enter Tigray, the region where conflict erupted last year and where hundreds of thousands of people live in conditions bordering on famine, according to the United Nations.
No aid has arrived by road since October 18, and 364 trucks are stranded in Afar awaiting clearance, according to the United Nations.
See also Ethiopia: the boss of the WHO denounces the "blockade" of Tigray which kills people
Abiy sent troops to Tigray in November 2020 to overthrow the TPLF, in response, he said, to rebel attacks on army camps.
Although the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize laureate promised a quick victory, by the end of June, the TPLF had taken over most of Tigray before expanding to Amhara and Afar.
