Eastleigh

Ethiopia and OLA peace talks show positive momentum

Oromo Liberation Army fighters.

By Gelle Dheere | Monday, November 13, 2023

Significant progress has been achieved in the ongoing talks between the Ethiopian government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, according to sources close to the mediation teams.

Significant progress has been achieved in the ongoing talks between the Ethiopian government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, according to sources close to the mediation teams.

The discussions, quietly underway since last Tuesday, reached an important milestone today as OLA officially confirmed its involvement in a second round of talks with the Ethiopian government. The delegation, led by Jaal Marroo Dirribaa, the Commander-in-Chief of OLF-OLA, and his deputy Jaal Gammachuu Abboyyee, is currently engaged in high-level talks.

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In a notable development, senior Ethiopian officials Redwan Hussein, the national security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Gedion Timothewos, the Justice Minister, arrived in Dar yesterday, indicating confidence in the progress made by the technical teams, comprising top military officers.

After weeks of negotiations, the teams in Dar have made tangible progress, advancing to discussions on substantive agenda items. There are strong indications that, barring any last-minute obstacles, the negotiations are approaching a stage where both sides could sign an agreement.

OLA, in a statement to the media, expressed its commitment to finding a peaceful political settlement that aligns with the aspirations of the people and honours the sacrifices of martyrs. The OLF-OLA pledged to provide further updates as the peace talks conclude.

The United States, Kenya, Norway, and IGAD are actively facilitating the talks. Mike Hammer, the US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa and Dr. Workneh Gebeyuhu, the IGAD Executive Secretary, and a senior figure from the Oromia region are working behind the scenes to ensure the success of the negotiations.

In May, talks between Ethiopia and the Oromo Liberation Front in Zanzibar ended inconclusively. The protracted conflict in Oromia has resulted in hundreds of casualties, displaced thousands, and disrupted economic life in Ethiopia's most populous region, which is home to nearly half of the country's 120 million population.