Abiy Ahmed who won Nobel Peace Prize 1 year ago rejects peace talks with Tigray leaders  

ADDIS ABABA (AGENCIES) – Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, has rejected a request for peace talks as the conflict in Tigray deepens.

Tigray’s leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, wrote to the African Union (AU) last week to request talks.

But PM Abiy Ahmed said in a tweet that there would be no dialogue “until our efforts to ascertain the rule of law are achieved”.

Hundreds have died since the conflict in Ethiopia’s northern region erupted.

Last Wednesday, Mr Abiy ordered a military offensive after an army base in the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, was taken over by forces loyal to the regional government of Tigray, following months of worsening tension between Tigrayan leaders and the federal government.

On Friday Mr Debretsion wrote to the AU asking for help. The chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Monday urged the federal government and the Tigray state authorities to engage in dialogue.

But on Tuesday Mr Ahmed said in a series of tweets that he wanted “to assure Ethiopians again” that there would be no dialogue until after rule of law was achieved.

He added: “Our law enforcement operations in Tigray are proceeding as planned: operations will cease as soon as the criminal junta is disarmed, legitimate administration in the region restored, and fugitives apprehended & brought to justice – all of them rapidly coming within reach.”