Statement from the Amhara People's Negotiations Delegation (APND) - Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Regarding the Announcement of Permanent Cessation of Hostilities between the Prosperity Party (PP) and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) Brokered by the African Union (AU)

Pictured is the four-person APND leadership committee consisting of: Mr. Tewodrose Tirfe (top left), Dr. Dessalegn Chanie (top right),

Dr. Wondwossen Assefa (bottom left), and General Tefera Mamo (bottom right)

Wednesday, November 9, 2022 (Tikimit 30, 2015 EC)

The Amhara People’s Negotiations Delegation (APND) welcomes news of a permanent cessation of hostilities agreement announced by the African Union (AU) on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022 to end the devastating war in Northern Ethiopia. With this being said, the APND strongly believes that this process was flawed and will not bring lasting peace and stability to Ethiopia. The participants of the flawed AU-mediated negotiations process failed to uphold principles of inclusivity and justice which could have been avoided if Amharas, the largest stakeholder in the war were represented. After all, bilateral peace talks between the Prosperity Party (PP) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in a multilateral conflict cannot possibly resolve the complex issues underlying the fighting. Therefore, including Amharas is not just beneficial to this process but essential to its success.

The primary error of the AU-led peace talks was in failing to finally provide a formal acknowledgement of restoration of the Welkait and Raya areas (ancestral Amhara lands) back to Amhara administration and instead proposing the matter be resolved through constitutional means. Approaching the problem in accordance with the constitution is an insult to Amhar