Tigray Peace Deal Fails to Hold
· culture
After Pretoria Peace Deal, Old Enemies Find New Ground in Ethiopia’s Tigray
The Pretoria Agreement, signed in November 2022, was hailed as a beacon of hope for peace in war-torn Ethiopia, particularly in the embattled region of Tigray. The agreement promised an end to hostilities, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of Tigrayan forces, as well as the return of displaced people. Yet, nearly four years later, many of these disputes remain unresolved.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has regrouped and repositioned itself since 2024. While they handed over heavy weapons after the agreement, reports have emerged of renewed recruitment and mobilization in Tigray. This raises questions about whether Pretoria was merely a tactical pause for the TPLF to regroup while the underlying conflict remained unresolved.
Disarmament has been incomplete at best. Thousands of former combatants have entered demobilization programs, but reports suggest that Tigrayan forces still retain an organizational and security role that Pretoria aimed to diminish. The distinction between organized mobilization and civilian views is crucial – many in Tigray want peace, not a second war.
Clashes broke out along the Tekeze River and in western Tigray near the Sudanese border in early 2026, breaching the peace agreement. This internal struggle within the TPLF is also noteworthy. As the movement grappled with its direction after the war, politics turned back into fighting.
Reports of closer contacts between Eritrea and elements of the TPLF have emerged, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea of supporting the TPLF as a proxy. The emergence of Tsimdo, a loose convergence of groups opposed to the federal government, further reflects this realignment. Former enemies are now working together, which is perhaps most concerning.
The Pretoria Agreement’s failure to address underlying disputes has allowed the TPLF to regroup and reposition itself while retaining military leverage. This raises serious questions about the long-term sustainability of the agreement and the potential consequences for civilians caught in the crossfire.
The incomplete disarmament, internal power struggles within the TPLF, and repositioning of former enemies all contribute to a complex web of tensions that threaten the fragile peace. The international community must remain vigilant and continue to push for genuine resolution of these disputes. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty in the face of ongoing human suffering.
The people of Tigray deserve more than a façade of peace – they demand a lasting resolution to their conflicts. It’s not about Pretoria being a failure or a success; it’s about what this means for the future of Ethiopia and its people. Will we continue down this path of unresolved disputes and repositioning, or will we finally address the underlying issues that have plagued this region for so long?
Reader Views
- PLProf. Lana D. · social historian
"The Pretoria Agreement's failure stems from its flawed assumption that removing military hardware would necessarily bring about peace in Tigray. What this analysis overlooks is the role of international mediation in exacerbating internal tensions. The presence of Eritrean forces on Ethiopian soil was never truly addressed, and now we're seeing a strange bedfellow alliance between former enemies. This raises questions about the long-term stability of Ethiopia's federal system – can it accommodate such regionalized power dynamics?"
- TSThe Society Desk · editorial
The Pretoria Agreement's failure in Tigray raises crucial questions about the feasibility of lasting peace deals in Ethiopia's fractured regions. While the international community hailed this accord as a breakthrough, it seems the underlying dynamics of conflict and power struggles have merely shifted beneath the surface. A key aspect deserving greater scrutiny is the role of diaspora communities and external actors, like Eritrea, that continue to influence Tigrayan politics from abroad – their involvement is likely fueling renewed tensions and complicating peace efforts in this deeply polarized region.
- DCDrew C. · cultural critic
The Pretoria Peace Deal's shortcomings are now painfully clear: without addressing the root causes of conflict, even the most well-intentioned agreements will crumble under the weight of historical grievances and competing interests. One crucial aspect missing from this narrative is the economic dimension – how have reconstruction efforts in Tigray been affected by the deal's failures? The article's focus on military mobilization overlooks the devastating impact on local economies, where millions rely on agriculture and trade to survive. A comprehensive peace requires more than just demilitarization; it demands a robust plan for rebuilding and revitalizing regional infrastructure.