US Ambassador Calls for Urgent Reinvigoration of Disarmament in Tigray Region of Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, June 7, 2025 (ENA) -- The United States Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ervin Massinga stressed the need to finding ways to urgently reinvigorate Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) to facilitate disarmament and reintegration.

On November 2, 2022, the Pretoria Peace Agreement marked a historic step toward ending the war in northern Ethiopia.

It is to be recalled that in a discussion held last February regarding the implementation report on the achievements of the Pretoria Peace Agreement process, it was noted that the rehabilitation training for former militants in the Tigray region, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and reconstruction initiatives are viewed as tangible results of the peace agreement.

Immediately following the peace agreement, the Federal Government implemented significant actions to quickly restore a range of services in the region, such as banking, airlines, and telecommunications, as well as the reconstruction of infrastructures, enabling the people to witness the benefits of the peace accord.

In his statement to the House of People’s Representatives a few months ago, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized the importance of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, which has restored infrastructure and provided services to the people of Tigray.

The United States played a role in facilitating this accord, ensuring that peace was restored in the region. In addition to its involvement in facilitating the agreement, the U.S. government has actively supported its implementation, working toward long-term stability.

In an interview with the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ervin Massinga, praised the agreement for its effectiveness in silencing the guns in the Tigray region.

The ambassador said, “Let’s start with applauding the Pretoria agreement, which brought silence to the guns in that terrible war, restarted services to Tigray.

Ambassador Ervin Massinga has made frequent visits to Tigray, assessing the progress of the implementation firsthand. While acknowledging the positive strides made, he emphasized the need to implement disarmament and addressing the situation of displaced people, who continue to endure hardships.

The ambassador said, “Finding ways to urgently reinvigorate the cessation of hostilities agreement and the element of allowing people to go home, along with disarmament and reintegration and the other elements of Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) is incredibly important.”

He reaffirmed that all parties involved clearly understand the U.S. position, which is to move forward, not backward, in the pursuit of lasting peace and stability.

It is to be noted that in a recent statement, Getachew Reda, the former leader of Tigray's interim administration, mentioned that the execution of the Pretoria peace agreement, the repatriation of displaced individuals, and the rehabilitation of former militants have been obstructed by our internal disputes.