The government of Ethiopia is striving for sustainable peace and is open for peace talk, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed remarked.
The prime minister responded to questions put to him in connection with half-year performance of the government by members of parliament (MPs) today.
The premier said that conflict is an inevitable phenomenon; however, the culture of resolving conflicts through peaceful means in the country has to be developed.
In this regard, the government of Ethiopia is striving for peace as it is priceless for all mankind, he added.
He pointed out that the government is open for criticism and peace talks with any parties in all parts of the country, urging them to be ready for peaceful discussion with the government.
Any attempt to topple the elected government of Ethiopia through armed struggle is utterly impossible and unacceptable, the prime minister warned.
The government of Ethiopia incorporated competing parties to foster peaceful discussion and enhance inclusive dialogue in the country; this is viewed from the government’s firm conviction for sustainable peace, he pointed out.
In this respect, the Pretoria Peace Agreement was an unprecedented decision that demonstrated the commitment of the Ethiopian government for peace, the prime minister noted.
Emphasizing the significance of the Pretoria Agreement in providing lessons for peace talks than taking arms, Prime Minister Abiy said.
Following the Pretoria Peace Agreement, restoration of infrastructures and basic services such as electricity, bank, and among others have been delivered in Tigray, he stated, noting that internal IDPs were resettled in Raya and Tselemit.
Despite remarkable achievements, some issues of the Pretoria agreement have not been implemented as per the agreement, one of which is disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), PM Abiy said.
The Prime Minister urged for effective implementation of DDR; underlining that the delay of its implementation could mainly hurts the people of Tigray.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister lauded the Interim Administration of Tigray under the leadership of President Getachew Reda and Vice Presidents, Tadesse Worede and Tsadikan Gebretinsae as they have tried their best in preventing additional conflict over the past two years.
The two-year period leadership of Interim Administration of Tigray region has concluded; he said.
Following discussions on necessary legal reforms, the Interim Administration will remain operational for an additional one year, focusing on empowering the people of Tigray in preparation for the upcoming national election, where they will hold supreme political authority.
