3 November 2022

The South African Government welcomes the successful negotiation and signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). This Agreement signals a commitment to ending the use of force to settle differences and disputes and confirms the correctness of South Africa’s principled position that political differences are best resolved through meaningful dialogue and diplomacy.

The Agreement also underscores the importance that the leaders of both sides are putting on the lives of all affected people, including soldiers, their families, women and children.

The message is clear: there are no winners in wars, and wars do no not solve problems. Invariably, the underlying reasons for conflicts will persist unless they are resolved through dialogue. The use of force only serves to destroy lives, livelihoods, infrastructure and prolongs human suffering.

Peacebuilding is more difficult than waging wars. The real heroes are those who work towards building peace and sustaining it. We therefore call on the leaders of both sides to continue to work towards maintaining this peace through implementing the Agreement in full.

South Africa is honoured to have been the host for these talks and will continue to work with all parties to ensure that peace is maintained in Ethiopia.

Speaking at the ceremony for the signing of the Agreement, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, thanked the facilitators, His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta and Her Excellency Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. The Minister also thanked the African Union Commission and all resource personnel that helped steer the talks.

South Africa believes that this Agreement paves the way for the silencing of the guns not only in Ethiopia, but in the immediate region and throughout the continent.

Department of International Relations and Cooperation