TPLF Says Budget Cuts and Fuel Restrictions Undermine Tigray Recovery.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a signatory to the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), has issued a statement warning that recent economic actions by Ethiopia’s federal government are undermining both humanitarian recovery and the fragile peace process.

According to the TPLF, federal budgetary transfers to the Interim Administration of Tigray have been suspended, leaving civil servants unpaid and disrupting essential services including health care, education, water supply, and sanitation.

The TPLF also reported that bank accounts belonging to companies affiliated with the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT) have been blocked without due process. This move has halted operations and prevented tens of thousands of employees from receiving salaries, pushing families into acute economic distress.

The statement also highlighted that fuel supplies to Tigray have been severely restricted for nearly ten months. The shortage has paralyzed public transport, freight movement, and emergency services, including ambulances for women and children. TPLF leaders argue that these measures compound an already fragile humanitarian situation and stall efforts toward recovery and normalization.

Additionally, the TPLF warned that the cumulative effect of these economic and administrative restrictions risks eroding confidence in the Pretoria Agreement, signed in November 2022. The group described the situation as resembling a “renewed blockade” and “collective punishment” of civilians, raising fears of renewed instability in the region.

In its appeal, the TPLF urged the international community to act swiftly, engage with all parties, and ensure full adherence to the Pretoria Agreement. The party emphasized the need to restore economic activity, public-sector financing, and essential services to safeguard peace and prevent further deterioration.