Peace negotiations (per 28 October)

  • Commander in Chief of Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), General Tadesse Werede, says that the Ethiopian government withdrawing Eritrean forces is a precondition for peace.
  • Former UN Relief Chief Mark Lowcock stated that the success of the peace talks partly depends on the amount of pressure put on Eritrea.
  • The Chairperson of AU, Moussa Faki Mahamat, says he hopes that the AU-led peace talks in South Africa “will lead to a ceasefire and opening a way to bring humanitarian support to those who are in need.”

Situation in Tigray (per 28 October)

  • General Tadesse Werede of the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) told Tigrai TV on 27 October that “there is no strategic terrain” that was abandoned by his forces.
  • General Tadesse added that the TDF has stopped Eritrean forces coming in the direction of Gendebta to control Hawzien.
  • Tigrai Media House (TMH) says Eritrean and Ethiopian forces extrajudicially killed over 60 civilians in Adwa town, who had been sheltered in different churches and their homes on 26 October.
  • Several sources deny that Adigrat was taken by Eritrean forces.
  • lham Abdelhai Nour, WHO Team Lead for Ethiopia, stated that the levels of malnutrition in Tigray are “staggering”. One in three children under five is estimated to be acutely malnourished.
  • WHO warns medical supplies in Tigray ran out and only about 9% of health facilities is functioning.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 28 October)

  • In a statement released by the Ethiopian Federal Government on 28 October, it accused “various western entities” of joining what it calls an orchestrated campaign against Ethiopia.
  • As a consequence it stated they must “consider its relations with some states and entities that are making unsubstantiated and politically motivated accusations”.
  • Addis Standard reports that the Commercial Bank of Kenya has shown an interest in operating in Ethiopia following the country’s decision to open its financial sector to foreign investors.
  • A delegation of the Bank’s senior officials visited the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) and it is the latest to express interest in engaging in the country’s banking sector.

Regional Situation (per 28 October)

  • The Somali armed forces announced the capture of a senior al-Shabab operative, Mohamed Jelle, who was in charge of what Somalia refers to as extortion in Jowhar and Rage-elle towns.
  • Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called with the Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani about the role of Qatar as mediator between al-Shabab and the Somali government.
  • According to the New York Times, the Somali government has asked that the US increase drone strikes against al-Shabab and loosen restrictions on drone strikes.
  • According to Asharq Al, a Saudi newspaper, negotiations between the FFC and Sudan’s military administration is said to be  close to reaching an agreement.
  • The Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, calls on Sudan and South Sudan to continue and increase their dialogue to resolve the final status of Abyei.
  • Pobee believes that, although the current situation in the area is calm, a new conflict between Dinka Ngoc and Twic could be brewing.
  • Speakers in a UN Security Council meeting also asked the UN Security Council to renew the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei’s (UNISFA) mandate as well as the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism due to expire 15 November.
  • 18 Eritreans who were detained in Uganda due to alleged lack of documentation, have been released after concerted efforts of legal experts, refugee and human rights activists and the administration.

International Situation (per 28 October)

  • Africa Intelligence states that the US congress has brought back for debate two bills aimed at sanctioning the Ethiopian government, as it is considering whether progress is made in the peace negotiations.
  • The bills also call for investigations into the atrocities committed during the war in Tigray.
  • Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, believes the election of Eritrea in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022 -2024 period is a challenge for the UN human rights system.
  • Babiker states that Eritrea’s record on its human rights situation is seriously deteriorating.
  • He expressed concern of Eritrea’s involvement in the Tigray conflict, which is intensifying, the “de facto” blockade of Tigray by Erirean forces, torture in what is called “villas”,  and the forced and indefinite military service in Eritrea.

Links of interest

Can peace talks end the conflict in Ethiopia?

Monocle: The Briefing

Ethiopia should withdraw Eritrean forces for peace to be attainable: General Tadesse Werede

DW International: መግለፂ ዋና ኣዛዚ ሰራዊት ትግራይ ተጋዳላይ ታደሰ ወረደ ፣ 17 ጥቅምቲ 2015 ዓ/ም

Twitter: Tigrai Media House says over 60 civilians killed in Adwa town

Ethiopia’s Tigray runs out of medical supplies amid health crisis: WHO

Commercial Bank of Kenya to commence service in Ethiopia: Addis Standard

Twitter: FDRE Government Communication Service

AU Chairperson peace talks will “lead to a ceasefire and opening a way to bring humanitarian support”

Speakers in Security Council Urge Increased Dialogue between Khartoum, Juba towards Peaceful Settlement

Qatar makes efforts to mediate between Somali Govt and Al-Shabaab

Somalia Asks U.S. to Step Up Drone Strikes Against Qaeda-Linked Fighters

Somali national army arrests senior Al-Shabaab operative

UNITED STATES/ETHIOPIA: US Congress envisages harder line on Ethiopian conflict

No end in sight: International community continues to fail Eritreans says UN Expert

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