Peace Agreement Embodies Diplomatic Victory for Ethiopia, Africa: Ethiopia's Ambassador to Qatar

Addis Ababa November 4, 2022 The peace agreement signed between the Ethiopian Peace Talks Delegation and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) embodies diplomatic victory for Ethiopia and Africa, according to Ethiopia's Ambassador to Qatar.

Speaking to ENA today, Ambassador Feisel Aliyi Abrahim said the peace agreement is a historic milestone which shows that Ethiopians choose peace and negotiation over coercion.  

‘‘It is a testimony that Ethiopia prioritizes peace over conflict, even at the last minute. Because as you know our National Defense Force has superiority over the TPLF on the ground operation, I mean militarily. But still prefers discussion to end the conflict.’’

This is a manifestation of Ethiopia’s historical preference of diplomacy and discussion over using force, the ambassador stated, adding that the peace deal really shows Ethiopia's potential to maintain peace which other African countries are looking up to.

Ambassador Feisel noted that ‘‘Ethiopia benefits much out of this peace deal. This is Ethiopia’s victory over those who do not want to see stable, peaceful and prosperous Ethiopia. The Ethiopian people in general, and the people in conflict areas of Tigray, Amhara and Afar in particular, are the prime beneficiaries of the peace agreement reached.’’

According to him, the most important benefit of it is the gun silenced, and hence life saved.

Now is the time to reconstruct the damaged infrastructures, schools, health facilities, roads and  restore basic services for the affected people by the conflict.

In a bid to pull our people from the quagmire of poverty, we need peace more than any other country, Ambassador Feisel stressed.

‘‘It is true that our national defense force has already taken over most parts of Tigray. However, military superiority and military operation do not guarantee peace.’’

For lasting peace to prevail in our country, Ethiopians have to come together and discuss to sort out our differences, he stated.

‘‘Peace needs mutual understanding. Peace needs the other side to understand the other side,’’ he said, adding that without give and take peace talks do not succeed.

Ethiopia’s gallant military forces have significantly contributed to the groundwork as the military advanced paying huge sacrifice, he said.   

‘‘The advancement of our gallant military forces that achieved victory through huge sacrifice has no doubt pushed the other side to come to the negotiation table.’’

Ambassador Feisel believes that the peace agreement is also a very big victory for the African Union as some groups have been campaigning against the AU-led peace process by de-legitimizing it as ineffective and inefficient.

‘‘We have witnessed over years that some western countries wanted to broker peace to solve the problem in northern Ethiopia... Ethiopia, however, insisted throughout the time that lasting peace and solution will be spear-headed by the AU. Because we are Africans and the problem is an African problem. So, we need an African solution. Hence, the AU is the most appropriate and legitimate institution to handle this matter. This is also a victory for the AU, despite all the campaigns that the AU is incapable of brokering peace in Africa. This has been proven false.’’

However, Ethiopia, as a founding member of the AU, insisted on the AU-led peace process in line with the principle ‘‘African Solution for African Problem’’, even if some non-African governments wanted to broker peace between the two sides to solve the conflict, the ambassador elaborated.