Tigrayan Parties Criticise AU over Ethiopia Mediation

Three political parties in the rebel-held Tigray region of Ethiopia have described the African Union as ill-equipped to help end the conflict between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government.

The Tigray Independent Party (TIP), the National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) and Salsane Weyane Tigray (SaWeT) said in a statement that the “postponement of peace talks” between the government and the TPLF over the weekend showed “the AU was unprepared and unable to lead the negotiations.”

The parties urged the United Nations, the US and the European Union to engage the AU to deliver a positive outcome.

They said the “African solution to African problems” stance by the international community had led to the loss of many lives in the conflict.

The TPLF on Monday continued to urge residents of Tigray region to join the war, saying the conflict was at a decisive stage.

BBC /Shakirat Sadiq