Tigray and Afar Regions Agree to Expedite Return of Displaced Individuals
In a significant step towards reconciliation, the Tigray and Afar regions have reached an agreement to expedite the return of individuals displaced by the two-year war in Tigray, which concluded in November 2022. The agreement was reached during a meeting between a delegation led by Getachew Reda, President of the Tigray Interim Administration, and Afar Regional State President Awol Arba in Semera, the capital of the Afar region, on October 3, 2024.
According to Getachew, the discussion centered on "restoring the historical brotherly relationship between the two peoples, safeguarding the shared security of both regions, and promoting peace and development through all possible means." The president emphasized that both parties have agreed to reestablish the previously strong relationship by "overcoming the strained relations" and committing to work wholeheartedly.
The agreement also includes the reopening of roads connecting the two regions and the resumption of previously disrupted cooperation. Additionally, both regions have agreed to collaborate in bringing political organizations with unresolved issues back to the peace talks.
Getachew noted that responsible officials at each level will hold regular meetings to ensure the proper implementation of the agreements. Awol Arba, President of the Afar region, expressed his commitment to securing lasting peace and development between the two regions.
The two regions were engaged in a conflict during the two-year war that commenced in November 2020 between the federal government and forces in Tigray. The Afar region aligned with the federal government. The war had significant repercussions for both regions, resulting in widespread displacement. In October 2022, Addis Standard reported that 163,709 individuals in conflict-affected areas of Afar, bordering Tigray, had been displaced. In May 2024, reports emerged of a midnight attack by unidentified gunmen that claimed the lives of seven civilians, including a seven-year-old child, in the Raya Azebo district, located in the border area between the Afar and Tigray regions.
This agreement marks a significant step towards reconciliation and peace in the region, and it is hoped that it will pave the way for the safe and dignified return of displaced individuals to their homes.
