The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has issued a strongly worded statement rejecting the Ethiopian federal government's decision to extend the mandate of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (IRA) for an additional year. In a statement released on Monday, the TPLF characterized the move as a violation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement and declared that the decision lacks legal and political recognition from their side.
According to the TPLF, the establishment and continued operation of the interim administration must be governed by the terms set out in the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022. The party argues that the IRA's existence should be the result of direct bilateral political negotiations between the two primary signatories—the TPLF and the Federal Government of Ethiopia—rather than a unilateral administrative decision by federal authorities.
The TPLF's statement emphasizes that the Pretoria Agreement was designed to transition the region from conflict to a stable political order through mutual consent. By extending the interim mandate without what the TPLF considers proper consultation or adherence to the agreed-upon political framework, the federal government is accused of undermining the spirit of the peace deal.
This development comes amid a complex political landscape in Tigray. Since the end of the devastating two-year war, the region has been governed by the IRA, currently led by Chief Administrator Getachew Reda. However, internal rifts have emerged between the TPLF's central leadership and the interim administration officials. The TPLF's latest stance suggests a deepening divide not only with Addis Ababa but also potentially with the current regional leadership structure.
The federal government has previously maintained that the extension of the interim period is necessary to ensure stability and complete the essential tasks required before regional elections can be safely and fairly conducted. These tasks include the return of displaced persons, the full restoration of services, and the completion of the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process.
Observers of Ethiopian politics note that the Pretoria Agreement remains a delicate roadmap. While it successfully halted the large-scale kinetic warfare that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, the 'political dialogue' phase has faced numerous hurdles. The TPLF's rejection of the mandate extension signals that the path toward a permanent political settlement in Tigray remains fraught with legal and jurisdictional disputes.
Source: Telegram / tikvahethiopia