Seven member “peace negotiation team” is appointed by the federal government to resolve the crisis in the northern part of the country. The team is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen, and is composed of Minister of Justice Gedion Timothewos (PhD), Temesgen Tiruneh who is Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Ambassador Redwan Hussine, Security Advisor of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Lt. Gen. Berhanu Bekele, Ambassador Hassan Abdulkadir, and Dr. Getachew Jember.
The Minister of Justice Dr. Gedion Timothewos said that negotiation will be “in a manner that respects the constitution and national interest” of the country and “facilitated by the African Union.”
On the other hand, the President of Tigray state Dr. Debretsion Gebrechichael expressed reservations in the AU led process in an open letter addressed to chairperson of African Union. “The silence of the African Union over the war and the atrocities perpetrated by the forces ranged against us was a betrayal of the Foundational Principles of the Union. We have consistently condemned the failure of the African Union Chairperson and his High Representative to take a position consistent with their solemn obligations under the Constitutive Act of the Union, the Protocol establishing the Peace and Security Council, and a host of other commitments entered into. In the considered view of the People and Government of Tigray the leadership of the African Union Commission has yet to redeem its failures and restore our trust, the letter said.
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