UMD Media, May 15, 2025
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has formally requested the African Union (AU) to urgently intervene following a controversial move by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), which designated the TPLF as an “illegal political party.” In a letter addressed to H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the TPLF warned that the NEBE decision threatens the integrity of the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement and jeopardizes regional stability.
The letter, dated May 15, 2025, describes the NEBE’s action as a violation of Articles 3(c), 3(d), and Article 10 of the Pretoria Agreement, which call for mutual recognition among signatories. The TPLF argues that the Federal Government of Ethiopia has reframed a political issue into a legal and administrative one, bypassing the provisions of the peace deal.
“The erosion of commitment has culminated in classifying the TPLF—a principal signatory to the accord—as an ‘illegal political party,’ fundamentally violating the validity and integrity of the Pretoria Agreement,” the letter states.
TPLF also referenced Articles 6 and 7 of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) Protocol, urging the AU to mediate the issue. The party accused the Federal Government of acting unilaterally and ignoring repeated calls for constructive political dialogue under the terms of the agreement.
In response to these developments, the TPLF has requested the African Union to take immediate steps. First, it calls for the convening of an emergency session of the High-Level Panel on Ethiopia to mediate the dispute between the Federal Government and the TPLF regarding its legal status. Second, it urges the AU Peace and Security Council to place the issue on the agenda of its next meeting, with the goal of ensuring that NEBE’s actions are in compliance with the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) and aligned with AU protocols. Third, the TPLF calls on the AU to pressure the Ethiopian government to suspend enforcement of NEBE’s decision until the High-Level Panel and the PSC provide guidance consistent with the CoHA.
The letter, signed by TPLF Chairperson Debretsion Gebremichael, was also copied to several key international and regional figures. These include senior AU and PSC officials, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The TPLF warns that the NEBE’s decision denies it a right reclaimed through the Pretoria Agreement and poses a serious threat to the foundation of the peace process. It concludes with a call for immediate AU action to prevent further deterioration of the fragile peace and ensure respect for the commitments made under the Pretoria Agreement.
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