The UN and AU have asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo to help pull Ethiopia back from renewed conflict as tensions threaten the peace agreement he helped broker in 2022.
The two organisations reaffirmed “steadfast support” for Obasanjo’s renewed mediation and urged the parties to return immediately to direct talks under the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
They warned that miscalculations in northern Ethiopia could trigger further escalation and destabilise the wider Horn of Africa.
The position followed the 27th Consultative Meeting of the UN-AU Joint Task Force on Peace and Security in New York.
Obasanjo, the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa, led the mediation that produced the Pretoria peace agreement between Ethiopia’s Federal Government and Tigrayan forces in November 2022.
With tensions rising again, the former Nigerian president is being relied upon to re-engage the parties, revive direct dialogue and prevent the hard-won agreement from unravelling.
The UN and AU agreed to strengthen coordination behind his mediation and urged all sides to address outstanding disputes through good-faith dialogue rather than renewed hostilities.
The AU delegation to the meeting was led by its Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Bankole Adeoye.
The UN side included Under-Secretaries-General Rosemary DiCarlo, Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Atul Khare, UN Special Representative to the AU Parfait Onanga-Anyanga and Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martin Kimani.
Beyond Ethiopia, the task force reviewed conflicts and political transitions in Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On Sudan, the organisations said there could be no viable military solution and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
They rejected the establishment of any parallel government and urged an inclusive Sudanese dialogue leading towards civilian-led governance.
The meeting also condemned external interference and military support fuelling the conflict.
On Somalia, the task force reaffirmed support for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission and stressed the need for sustained international backing.
Somali stakeholders were also urged to continue dialogue towards an inclusive agreement on elections.
In eastern DRC, the UN and AU welcomed African, regional and international peace initiatives and called for an effective and permanent ceasefire.
They also backed plans for an inclusive national dialogue capable of supporting lasting peace.
In South Sudan, the meeting called for national consensus ahead of planned December elections and urged authorities to address outstanding gaps in preparations.
The task force also reviewed broader UN-AU cooperation on conflict prevention, mediation, early warning, human rights and support for African-led peace operations.
It highlighted the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for predictable financing of eligible AU-led peace support operations on a case-by-case basis.
The meeting also welcomed new agreements on operational support and knowledge exchange signed during UNGA81.
The next statutory meeting of the Joint Task Force will be hosted by the African Union Commission. (NAN)
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