Secretary-General Welcomes Announcement by Regional Government of Tigray on Cessation of Hostilities in Northern Ethiopia

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement today by the Regional Government of Tigray of its readiness to abide by an immediate cessation of hostilities and to peacefully resolve the conflict in northern Ethiopia.  He is encouraged by the stated willingness of the Regional Government of Tigray to participate in a robust peace process under the auspices of the African Union.

The Secretary-General calls on the parties to seize this opportunity for peace and to take steps to end the violence definitively and opt for dialogue.  He encourages the parties to engage actively with the African Union-led process in good faith and without delay and to create conducive conditions for the talks to take place.

The Secretary-General reiterates the preparedness of the United Nations to support the African Union-led peace process.

On this 11 September, the Secretary-General also wishes all Ethiopians a happy and peaceful New Year.