Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
President Tadese Werede Intensifies Addis Ababa Talks on Pretoria Peace Implementation and Recovery
By Horn News Hub Staff
Addis Ababa — President of the Tigray Interim Administration, Tadese Werede, has had intensified political, diplomatic, and institutional engagements in Addis Ababa as part of ongoing efforts to advance the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement and address the humanitarian and economic challenges facing Tigray.
President Tadese has held successive discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, relevant federal institutions, and service-providing agencies. Officials familiar with the talks said the dialogue is focused on addressing public grievances in Tigray and strengthening coordination between the federal government and the interim administration.
As part of these engagements, the release of government salary payments that had been blocked for the past three months has been confirmed, easing pressure on public servants across the region. In addition, machinery required for clean drinking water projects in the cities of Adwa and Axum has been cleared to enter Tigray. The projects, which began prior to the conflict, had stalled after equipment was prevented from reaching the region during the war.
In parallel, President Tadese has stepped up diplomatic outreach, holding a series of meetings with international diplomats based in Addis Ababa. According to sources, he conducted extended discussions with ambassadors of countries that played key roles in facilitating and supporting the Pretoria Peace Agreement. The talks focused on the pace of implementation and the humanitarian and political consequences of continued delays.
During the meetings, President Tadese reaffirmed that both the people and the administration of Tigray remain committed to peace and have made significant sacrifices to uphold the agreement. He cautioned, however, that incomplete implementation has left the region exposed to serious risks, with millions facing ongoing humanitarian hardship. He also raised concerns over the deteriorating conditions of refugees from Western Tigray currently residing in Sudan.
The President emphasized that full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement requires the restoration of Tigray’s constitutional territorial integrity, the re-establishment of its representation at the federal level, and the resumption of normal economic activity.
President of the Tigray Interim Administration, Tadese Worede, has reaffirmed that both the Tigray government and the people of Tigray remain firmly committed to peace, stressing that there is no intention or pathway toward renewed war from the Tigrayan side.
He underscored that lasting stability depends on the full and credible implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, calling on the international community to move beyond rhetorical support and exert concrete pressure to ensure compliance. Central to this, he said, are the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the withdrawal of non-ENDF forces from Western Tigray, which remains a core and unresolved provision of the agreement.
President Tadese warned that delays in implementation risk undermining public confidence in the peace process and prolonging humanitarian suffering. He emphasized that peace cannot be sustained without justice, territorial resolution, and the restoration of civilians to their homes pillars that the Pretoria accord explicitly guarantees.
He called on the international community to strengthen support for reconstruction, noting the extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods caused by the war, and urged an urgent response to rising humanitarian needs.
Discussions between the Tigray Interim Administration and the federal government remain shall continue. Sources told Horn News Hub that there is cautious optimism, particularly regarding coordination efforts to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons to their places of origin.
Observers say President Tadese Werede’s sustained engagement with federal authorities and the international community reflects a strategy centered on dialogue and cooperation, framing peace implementation and post-war recovery as shared responsibilities between domestic and international partners.
However, President Tadese Worede’s renewed diplomatic engagement and direct communication with the federal government is not being welcomed by the remnants of hardline factions within the TPLF leadership, who continue to view dialogue with suspicion. Political observers warn that once President Tadese returns to Mekelle, these elements may seek to undermine his authority, mobilize opposition, and obstruct the practical implementation of peace on the ground, posing a serious challenge to governance and stabilization efforts.
In this context, growing attention is being placed on the role of the people of Tigray both at home and in the diaspora. Civic leaders and community voices argue that public backing is now critical to safeguard the peace process, protect the interim administration from internal sabotage, and ensure that diplomacy is not reversed by factional interests. Sustained popular support, they say, is essential for translating high-level agreements into tangible outcomes, including the return of IDPs, restoration of services, and normalization of civilian life.
President Tadese Werede returns to Mekelle after productive talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, federal officials, and Addis-based diplomatic communities, marking a significant step in advancing Tigray’s interests.
The path President Tadese Worede is pursuing dialogue over confrontation represents a strategic attempt to secure durable peace for Tigray. Yet its success will depend not only on federal and international action, but also on internal unity and public solidarity. At this pivotal moment, the responsibility increasingly rests with the people of Tigray, at home and abroad, to stand with the interim government, defend the Pretoria Peace Agreement, and prevent a return to destructive internal divisions that would only prolong suffering and instability.
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