Ethiopian PM meets Tigray region leaders for first time since peace deal

By: REUTERS

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met senior leaders of the Tigray region forces on Friday for the first time since they signed a peace deal with the national government ending two years of war, the state-run broadcaster said.

“PM Abiy … and other officials met today and held a discussion with the TPLF delegation regarding the progress of the peace process,” the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said on its Twitter account.

“As a result, PM Abiy passed decisions about increasing flights, banking and other issues that would boost trust and ease the lives of civilians.”

The Addis Ababa government and forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed agreements in November to permanently cease hostilities, ending fighting that killed tens thousands and displaced millions.

Friday’s meeting was Abiy’s first with senior administrators of the northern Tigray region since the fighting broke out.

The war was rooted in old territorial and other grievances between the political elites of Tigray and other regions, built up over decades of turmoil, violent regime change and long periods of authoritarian rule.