The Ethiopian National Rehabilitation Commission has announced the resumption of the verification, demobilization, registration, and reintegration of ex-combatants into the community. This process, previously interrupted due to technical and political reasons, will resume this week at the Mekelle and Edaga Hamus centers.

Brigadier General Derbie Mekuriaw, Deputy Commissioner of the Commission and Coordinator of the National Defense Ex-Combatant Demobilization and Reintegration Program, confirmed that activities will resume in the coming days.

The disarmament and reintegration process for 75,000 ex-combatants in Tigray officially began on November 22, 2024, as part of a broader national initiative to disarm over 371,000 ex-militants across seven regions. This program is estimated to cost over $760 million, with the Ethiopian government contributing 1 billion birr and international partners providing $60 million for the first phase in Tigray.

Earlier, the Commission reported that 5,728 ex-combatants in Mekelle and Edaga Hamus centers had completed rehabilitation training and successfully reintegrated into society.

Brigadier General Derbie Mekuriaw emphasized that to ensure uninterrupted progress, extensive discussions were held with senior leaders and stakeholders in the Tigray region. A joint plan for future activities was developed during these consultations. He added that over the next four months, efforts to integrate 67,000 ex-combatants into the community will be intensified in Tigray. The program’s success, he noted, relies heavily on the continued support and cooperation of the community and stakeholders.

Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, Deputy President of the Tigray Regional Interim Administration (TIRA) and Head of the Regional Peace and Security Bureau, emphasized that, in accordance with the Pretoria Peace Agreement, ex-combatants are disarming, undergoing rehabilitation training, and re-joining the community as per the Commission’s implementation plan. He further noted that the verification and digital registration process ensures the program aligns with international standards, as stated on the Commission’s Facebook page.

Lieutenant General Tadesse called on the community to warmly welcome the returning ex-combatants and provide support to help them contribute to peace and development.

Since the launch of the national DDR program in November 2024, the Commission has reported the reintegration of over 17,400 ex-militants in the Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Afar regions. Of this total, 8,000 individuals completed their reintegration process in the Tigray region alone.

The Pretoria Agreement underscores the alignment of the disarmament process with the security conditions on the ground, specifically in Tigray. However, with over 40% of Tigray’s territories still under external control, concerns have arisen about the practicality of proceeding with disarmament under such conditions. This poses significant challenges to successfully implementing the agreement and advancing the broader peace process.