Ceasefire agreed to stop 2-year Tigray conflict in Ethiopia

After almost two years of war, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have agreed to an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

The African Union (AU) mediator, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, announced the breakthrough on Wednesday after negotiations in South Africa.

The deal was signed in front of cameras in the South African capital Pretoria.

"We have agreed to permanently silence the guns," the agreement between the two warring sides said.

"The conflict has brought a tragic degree of loss of lives and livelihoods and it is in the interest of the entire people of Ethiopia to leave this chapter of conflict behind and live in peace and harmony."

There would be, the deal said, "a framework for the settlement of political differences."

The African Union negotiators said they were pleased that the talks had reached a "successful conclusion."

"The agreement marks an important step in efforts to silence the guns, and provides a solid foundation for the preservation of Ethiopia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the immediate cessation of hostilities, the resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of services as well as healing and reconciliation," they said.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called for a "swift implementation on the ground of the agreement" as he congratulated the Ethiopian government and the TPLF for their "commitment and courage towards peace."

"Priority is to resume humanitarian access in all affected areas and to restore basic services, in particular in Tigray. Further negotiations are encouraged to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement and launch broader political talks," Borrell said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the agreement "a critical first step towards ending the devastating two-year old conflict in which the lives and livelihoods of so many Ethiopians have been lost."

Since November 2020, the central government in Ethiopia has been engaged in heavy fighting with the rebellious TPLF.

The conflict has torn Africa's second-most populous country apart and caused a dire humanitarian situation in the country's north.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 5 million people in Tigray are now dependent on humanitarian aid.

Fighting between the warring sides flared up again in August, but they agreed on peace talks mediated by the African Union.