ADDIS ABABA — Tensions between Ethiopia’s federal government and authorities in the Tigray region have intensified following a planned peace rally in the capital Addis Ababa, exposing renewed disagreements over the implementation of the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement.
The demonstration, organized by the Tigray Council for Peace and Change, is scheduled to take place at Meskel Square under the slogan “Stop the Conscription, Let Peace Prevail.” Organizers say the rally aims to demand the full implementation of the Pretoria agreement, oppose what they describe as forced military recruitment of Tigrayan youth and call for renewed efforts to prevent another conflict in the region.
The group says Tigray continues to face serious humanitarian, economic and security challenges more than a year after the peace deal that ended the devastating two-year war between the federal government and Tigrayan forces. They warn that unresolved political disputes and public frustrations could threaten the fragile peace.
The planned rally has triggered criticism from Tigray’s Communication Affairs Bureau, which accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government of supporting the demonstration through pro-government Tigrinya-speaking groups in an attempt to weaken Tigray’s political position.
The regional bureau claimed that Addis Ababa was pursuing a political campaign against Tigray while preparing for possible renewed military pressure. It also accused the federal government of attempting to undermine Tigray’s territorial and political interests.
The federal government has not accepted those accusations, while tensions continue to rise between the two sides over political disputes and security concerns.
The latest dispute follows a decision by Tigray’s regional council to declare that the Pretoria Peace Agreement is no longer an effective framework for resolving the region’s political crisis. Tigray officials accused the federal government of failing to fully implement key commitments under the agreement, including issues related to security, administration and disputed territories.
Relations between Addis Ababa and Mekelle have further deteriorated after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of cooperating with Eritrea and Sudan against Ethiopia. The TPLF has strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated.
The planned demonstration and the escalating accusations reflect growing mistrust between Ethiopia’s federal authorities and Tigray leaders, raising concerns among observers about the durability of the peace process in northern Ethiopia.
International and regional observers have urged all sides to maintain dialogue and avoid actions that could threaten the fragile stability achieved after the Pretoria agreement.
