The planned peace talks between the Ethiopian government and rebel groups in the Tigray region of Ethiopia have been postponed indefinitely, APA can report. REUTERS/Kumerra Gemechu
The peace talks were expected to take place on Sunday October 9 in Pretoria, South Africa.
APA learnt that the peace talks were postponed after former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyata withdrew as a mediator in a letter to the chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat.
According to diplomatic sources, the peace talks were postponed after “Tigray forces” responded late due to logistics.
The Ethiopian government earlier in the week announced that it had accepted the AU’s invitation to talks that were meant to take place over the weekend as long as there were no preconditions and the AU led the initiative.
It also announced that the Ethiopian government would not stop the measures it was taking against the rebel groups although it expressed readiness for peace talks.
On its part, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) accepted the AU invitation for the peace talks. However, Debretsion Gebremichael, chairman of the organisation, requested clarification about logistics for TPLF representatives and security guarantee negotiators.
The AU on Thursday commended the Ethiopian government and the rebel forces in the Tigray region for their “commitment” to the peace talks.