Ethiopia's senior negotiator, Redwan Hussien, has given a public briefing on how the cessation of hostilities will roll out.

You can find it here.

Some of the points he made were well know. What follows is not verbatim and needs to be checked against delivery.

·        Only one national defence force

·        Restoring Constitutional order

·        Stop fighting immediately and permanently

·        End hostile propaganda

·        ENDF will enter Mekelle

·        Open channel of communication between senior commanders

·        Disarmament of Tigrayan military

·        TPLF will respect authority of Federal Government to deploy forces and law and order

·        External relations only via the federal authorities

·        Restoring services and aid

At 9:58 he states: "That the ENDF shall safeguard all of Ethiopia's international borders including air space. Because during the conflict we faced on both sides in the air and on the ground that our territorial integrity and borders were violated. We are busy fighting each other……that paved the way for a third party to undermine us. So the only way we save the country was to avoid such opportunity for a third party to undermine us." (unnamed)

The federal government will take charge of Federal Institutions - airports, airstrips, universities. Government must have easy control and access.

Elections in Tigray to an interim administration which must be inclusive. Accepts that there are many parties in Tigray. Accepts that the TPLF can stand, but not be armed.

"When we say disarm TPLF we are not denying Tigray right for a regional police/militia. Tigray can have arms, but the Regional Government, not the party."

Accountability: some atrocities simply cannot be forgotten. At the same time we need forgiveness and healing. Communal discussions are needed.

Next steps:

·        Open channel of communications between commanders.

·        Commanders must meet and discuss how to resolve issues - they will meet in Nairobi on Monday.

·        Timetable for TPLF to hand over heavy weapons to our army. Light weapons will remain and handed over to a transitional administration in Tigray and then a Tigray administration.

·        Re-integration of armed forces.

·        Publicise the agreement.

·        All losses - colossal damage - weakened all of Ethiopia. We will rebuild Afar and Amhara region as well as of course Tigray region.

·        It will require nearly US$20 billion to rebuild health facilities, educational facilities roads etc.

We are aware that there will be many disgruntled groups who will not welcome the agreement. But now we are in continuous communications with the Tigrayans and will address any hiccups in the agreement. We are re-connecting telecoms and electricity. We will do this rapidly.

The government has begun supplying aid and equipment, but it is still risky to allow flights until agreed by the commanders. "There may also be a third party which may not be interested in this peace process."

Source: Borkena

Ethiopian Defense Chief, TPLF rebel military leaders to meet in Nairobi 

November 5, 2022

Redwan Hussien , middle, briefing diplomatic community in Addis Ababa on November 5, 2022 (Photo : Public Domain)

Ethiopian Defense Force Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, and TPLF rebels military leader, Tadesse Worede, will be meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday.

Redwan Hussien, Security Advisor to the Prime Minister and who led the Ethiopian Delegation at the peace talk in South Africa, briefed members of the diplomatic community in Addis Ababa. 

The brief focused on the outcome of the peace talk, the agreement that was reached, and its implementation.

According to Mr. Redwan, the two military leaders already had a phone conversation after the agreement was announced. 

Their next meeting in person is expected to discuss ways of disarming the TPLF combatants as per the agreement reached in South Africa. It is unclear why it is taking place in Kenya when the two leaders could meet in Ethiopia. Also unclear is whether the United States will attend their meeting as an “observer.” 

It was on November 2 that the Ethiopian government and the TPLF rebels reached an agreement, in South Africa, that ended the two years of bloody war. 

The rebel groups renounced their claim of government power as “Government of Tigray” and the Tigray region is to be under transitional administration until the regional election is organized by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. 

The rebels also agreed to the principle of a single national defense force in the country and recognized the constitutional rights of the National Defense Force to be deployed anywhere in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. 

Mekelle city, seat of the regional government, is to be under the Federal forces with immediate effect. 

Ethnic Tigray activists based in the Diaspora are rejecting the agreement and putting pressure on the TPLF. On the other hand, Ethiopians, including in the Tigray region, are saying that they are relieved that the agreement ended the war. 

The Ethiopian government has embarked on efforts to restore services in the region and planning reconstruction of  infrastructures damaged during the war.