PM Abiy Describes Pretoria Peace Accord a Rare Milestone in Ethiopia’s History   

Addis Ababa, June 8, 2025 (ENA)—Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a wide-ranging televised interview, described the Pretoria Peace Accord as a historic breakthrough, noting that Ethiopia has rarely succeeded in ending internal conflicts peacefully before.

 In the 4th episode of his interview with EBC, the Prime Minister detailed Ethiopia’s political culture which is shaped by force and the barrel of the gun to seize power for several decades.

According to the Prime Minister, an unwarranted thirst for power and refusal to accept peaceful democratic competition, have resulted in deep seated resentment and distrust perpetuated over the past decades.

Against these historical backdrops, Prime Minister Abiy said the Ethiopian government under his administration has demonstrated a historic step in resolving Ethiopia’s internal conflicts through the Pretoria peace deal.

The Premier underlined that the Pretoria peace accord marks an unprecedented approach to ending Ethiopia’s conflicts which the country has rarely succeeded in its course of history.

 The PM also highlighted the Ethiopian government’s exceptional decision to prioritize peace through the Pretoria agreement, even while it was securing a swift military victory in Tigray region.

 

That plainly asserts the government's unwavering commitment to peace, he underscored.

“It underscores the historical significance of choosing dialogue over winning the conflict militarily, marking a rare moment where power was exercised with restraint.

The message is clear: true victory lies not just in winning wars, but in securing lasting peace,” PM Abiy said.

He further explained the root cause of conflicts in Ethiopia that are primarily arisen by the desire of the country’s misguided political elites to achieve political goals through force.

These elites predominantly believe political power would be gained through the barrel of the gun and wrong narrative, he added.

However, the Prime Minister argues that until the view that anyone can hold political power through elections and public approval will be nurtured, conflicts will remain a challenge to achieve democratic political orders.

To this effect, he urged the political elites of the country to pursue a peaceful way rather than a repeated attempt of imposing their will by having complete control over everything.

 

PM Abiy recalled the peaceful struggle prior to 2018, stating that: “When we struggle for this ongoing change, we believe that change will come through internal and peaceful struggle, and we paid dearly to bring about this reform.

Because it is pretty much clear and we know that conflict cannot achieve that change,” he elaborated.

For the Prime Minister, conflicts that arise from certain groups’ unwarranted thirst for power, and a political culture of self-destruction should be overturned.

Armed struggle is outdated; genuine peace efforts like the National Dialogue Commission and Pretoria Peace Agreement are testament to the government’s commitment to ensuring lasting peace through dialogue, he elaborated.

Finally, the Prime Minister underscored that political power must come from popular legitimacy, democratic participation, and respect for the people’s choices.