Tigray Transition Continues Under Cessation-of-Hostilities Framework

The transition in Tigray continues under the framework established by the cessation-of-hostilities agreement signed in Pretoria in November 2022, which ended two years of conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The agreement was mediated under African Union auspices and provided for the cessation of hostilities, disarmament of Tigrayan forces, restoration of federal authority and services, unhindered humanitarian access, and accountability measures. An interim regional administration was subsequently established.

Implementation has been uneven. Restoration of basic services — electricity, telecommunications, banking, flights — proceeded following the agreement. Other provisions have moved more slowly. Disarmament and reintegration of combatants is a long process requiring resources. Large numbers of people remain displaced. And areas whose administration is disputed, including parts of western Tigray, remain unresolved.

The humanitarian consequences of the conflict period were severe, and recovery in health, education and agriculture is measured in years rather than months. Health facilities were extensively damaged and agricultural cycles were missed.

Accountability remains the most contested element. Investigations have been conducted at various levels, and the question of what mechanism will address serious violations documented during the conflict has not been settled.

This newsroom reports on Tigray using verified documentation and named institutional sources. Casualty estimates from the conflict period vary widely between sources and are reported with attribution and the methodology behind them, never as settled fact.