UN Chief says “delighted” by Efforts to Make Peace in N Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said he is delighted by the efforts being shown to make peace in Northern Ethiopia.

The UN Chief said this after he held a telephone conversation with the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Their talks was aimed at exchanging views with him on the conflict in Ethiopia following Obasanjo’s visit to Addis Ababa and Mekelle, the capital of the regional state of Tigray, according the UN Chief.

Guterres said Obasanjo briefed him about the efforts being made by the Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF to move towards a resolution of the violent conflict.

The AU representative “expressed optimism that there is now a real opportunity for political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict”, he said.

“I am delighted that after over a year of armed conflict which has affected millions of people across Ethiopia and the rest of the region, there is now a demonstrable effort to make peace,” Guterres added.

The UN Chief said the “ongoing military operations in some parts of Ethiopia remain a challenge to the peace process and sour the confidence building measures that we hope are being taken by all parties in the conflict.”

“Let me reiterate my call on all parties to move rapidly towards cessation of hostilities as a critical step in the right direction for peace-making,” Guterres said.