UN Chief Urges Ethiopia to Halt Tigray Fighting Now
(MENAFN) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced alarm Friday over fresh clashes across northern Ethiopia, saying he is “gravely concerned by the renewed fighting” in the Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres called on every party to “cease hostilities immediately” and “return to dialogue under the framework of the Pretoria Agreement.”
The UN chief cautioned about “the risks of escalation that further undermines the stability of the region.”
Guterres also flagged reports of Eritrean troops on Ethiopian soil. He is “further concerned by reports of the presence of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia,” the statement said.
The secretary-general reminded all countries in the region of their duties under the UN Charter “to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State,” and of the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.
He appealed to governments with sway over the warring sides to “use it to support de-escalation and to refrain from any action that could fuel the conflict.”
“He stands ready to offer his good offices,” the statement added.
The warning comes as relations between former allies sour. Ethiopia and Eritrea fought on the same side during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, but ties have since deteriorated sharply, with each government accusing the other of endangering regional stability.
Friction has also grown over Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access, in particular the Eritrean port of Assab, which Asmara maintains is part of its sovereign territory.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres called on every party to “cease hostilities immediately” and “return to dialogue under the framework of the Pretoria Agreement.”
The UN chief cautioned about “the risks of escalation that further undermines the stability of the region.”
Guterres also flagged reports of Eritrean troops on Ethiopian soil. He is “further concerned by reports of the presence of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia,” the statement said.
The secretary-general reminded all countries in the region of their duties under the UN Charter “to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State,” and of the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.
He appealed to governments with sway over the warring sides to “use it to support de-escalation and to refrain from any action that could fuel the conflict.”
“He stands ready to offer his good offices,” the statement added.
The warning comes as relations between former allies sour. Ethiopia and Eritrea fought on the same side during the 2020-2022 Tigray war, but ties have since deteriorated sharply, with each government accusing the other of endangering regional stability.
Friction has also grown over Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access, in particular the Eritrean port of Assab, which Asmara maintains is part of its sovereign territory.
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