Speaking to reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa today, Ambassador Mike Hammer urged displaced individuals to return to their homes and fully comply with the Pretoria Agreement. The U.S. Special Envoy emphasized that non-Ethiopian forces must withdraw from Tigray under this agreement.
“When I went to Mekelle, I visited the displaced people. Their situation is sad. They want to return home immediately,” said Ambassador Mike Hammer. “The internally displaced persons (IDPs) must return safely according to the Pretoria Agreement, and all forces other than the Ethiopian army must withdraw completely.”
“The implementation of the Pretoria Agreement has not made much progress, and we are not satisfied with that,” the ambassador added. However, the desire for peace on the part of Tigray and the Ethiopian government is commendable. The meeting with the leaders of Ethiopia and Tigray focused on the urgent return of IDPs, the launch of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), and political dialogue.
When asked by reporters about divisions among the TPLF leaders, the ambassador stated that both the representatives of the Tigray Interim Administration and TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael expressed their desire for peace
“I met this morning with Tigray Interim Administration President Getachew Reda, Deputy president General Tsadkan, and TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael (Dr.). Differences of opinion are natural in politics. The regional and federal elections are approaching, and the people should elect their own leaders,” he said.
In response to questions about the regional situation, Ambassador Mike Hammer noted that the United States is closely monitoring the issues in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
Ambassador Mike Hammer arrived in Addis Ababa on September 10, 2024, to assess the implementation of the agreement.