TPLF Chairman Appeals to African Union: Urgent Action Needed to Safeguard the Pretoria Peace Deal

Dr. Debretsion Gebremichiel, Chairman of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), has issued an open letter to African Union Chairperson João Gonçalves Lourenço and heads of state, warning of a “rapidly deteriorating situation” in Ethiopia and calling for urgent intervention to safeguard peace.

In the letter, addressed ahead of the upcoming African Union Summit, Debretsion emphasized that despite the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed in Pretoria, implementation has been partial and fragile. He cautioned that renewed military mobilization, restrictions on civilian life, and political exclusion risk undermining the peace process and reigniting conflict.

“Actions that constrain civilian life including restrictions on movement, economic pressure, and political exclusion undermine confidence in the peace process and heighten the danger of relapse into conflict,” Debretsion wrote.

Key Appeals to the African Union
The TPLF chairman outlined five urgent measures for AU leaders:

1. Publicly reaffirm the binding nature of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and call for its full, immediate, and good-faith implementation by all parties;

2. Expedite the activation and strengthening of the AU monitoring, verification, and follow-up mechanisms envisaged under the peace process;

3. Support conditions conducive to the restoration of constitutional order, the safe return of displaced populations, and the protection of civilians;

4. Encourage the removal of measures that disproportionately affect civilian livelihoods and humanitarian access;

5. Take proactive steps to convene and facilitate, without delay, a structured political dialogue between the signatories that addresses the underlying political, security, and governance drivers of the conflict as the only viable pathway to sustainable peace.

A Call for Continental Leadership
Debretsion underscored the African Union’s historic role in brokering the Pretoria peace process, stressing that the AU carries both political and moral responsibility to ensure its success. He warned that delays or ambiguity could deepen mistrust and destabilize the region, while decisive leadership could consolidate peace.

“This is a critical juncture. Delays or ambiguity risk allowing mistrust to deepen and instability to spread. Conversely, decisive continental leadership at this moment can consolidate peace, reinforce African solutions to African challenges, and prevent further suffering,” the letter stated.

The Tigray war, which erupted in November 2020, has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. The Pretoria Agreement, signed in November 2022, was hailed as a breakthrough, but implementation challenges have persisted. The upcoming AU Summit is seen as a pivotal moment for reinforcing commitments and preventing renewed violence.