IGAD calls on Ethiopia warring parties to uphold commitment to peace process

By XINHUA

ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) — The East African bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Wednesday called for the Ethiopian government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebel group to uphold commitment to the peace process. In a press release, IGAD said its Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu acknowledges the vital role of dialogue and negotiation in addressing grievances and resolving conflicts as well as in achieving enduring peace in the Horn of Africa region. “Leveraging upon IGAD’s experience in mediating similar situations, the Executive Secretary understands that in any negotiation process, there are inevitable periods of challenge and complexity,” the IGAD press release stated. “IGAD will continue to remain seized of the situation and stands ready to provide unwavering support to both sides in their pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the situation,” the press release said. The IGAD executive secretary also expressed his optimism that the Ethiopian government and the OLA will initiate a new round of talks to address and resolve the remaining issues. On Tuesday evening, both the Ethiopian government and the OLA disclosed that the second round of negotiations between the two sides which were being held in Tanzania ended without an agreement. In April, the Ethiopian government and OLA delegation met for the first time in Tanzania for peace talks. The first round peace talks ended without an agreement. The OLA is a breakaway faction of ex-rebel group Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an opposition political party claiming to fight for the rights of ethnic Oromos who make up about 35 percent of Ethiopia’s population. The OLA, with an estimated 3,000 fighters, operates mainly in the western and southern parts of the Oromia Region, the principal homeland of ethnic Oromos. In May 2021, the Ethiopian parliament voted to designate the OLA as a terrorist group, a designation still in effect now. Enditem