Peace negotiations (per 03 April)

  • An Eritrean high-level delegation of army generals and other high military officials led by General Abraha Kassa, Director of the National Security Office of Eritrea, is visiting Ethiopia.
  • They visited the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, according to Fana Broadcasting Corporate.
  • The delegation visited the infrastructure and ongoing research and development activities of the institute.
  • Head of the delegation, General Abrha Kassa, said they gained experience and he mentioned that there are opportunities for the two countries to collaborate in the area of technology.
  • Ambassador Teshome Toga, Commissioner of the National Rehabilitation Commission, reported that the Commission held a region-wide consultative forum on Disarmament, Demobilization, and Integration (DDR) with officials of the Amhara regional state in Bahir Dar, the regional capital, according to Addis Standard.
  • The Ambassador said the Commission leadership held the consultative forum in the Amhara region in the presence of Dr Getachew Jember, the vice president of the Amhara regional state, as well as Cleophas Torori, UNDP Ethiopia Deputy Resident Representative.
  • A similar consultation on DDR took place in Mekelle on 10 March.
  • The draft National Disarmament and Reintegration program prepared by the Commission follows the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in November 2022.

International Situation (per 03 April)

  • The Tigray Diaspora Council in Europe is holding a webinar today 17:00 – 19:00 CET on the accountability for crimes committed in Tigray, with regional president Getachew Reda and among others Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and journalist William Davison.

Situation in Tigray (per 03 April)

  • Tigrayans that have been freed from prison call for the release of all Tigray political prisoners. Tigrai TV states an estimated 17.000 Tigrayan ENDF members have been locked up for 2.5 years.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 03 April)

  • Hundreds of Ugandans belonging to a religious cult crossed borders with Ethiopia. They believe that Ethiopia is a safe place to protect them from the approaching end of the world, confirmed Meles Alem, the spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • The spokesperson said the Ugandan nationals are currently staying in the Yangatom locality in Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region which borders neighbouring Kenya.
  • Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov discussed the benefits of cooperation between Ethiopia and Russia in the fields of engineering and space science in a public lecture to Ethiopian Addis Ababa University students and school children on 31 March.

Regional Situation (per 03 April)

  • Riek Machar, opposition leader and VP of South Sudan, wrote a letter to IGAD stating that President Salva Kiir has “unexpectedly interrupted the ongoing negotiations” to resolve the dispute over the appointing of a new defence minister. Machar calls on IGAD to intervene.  
  • The situation in South Sudan is tense, according to sources. The presence of security in the compounds of leaders has increased.
  • A panel of experts of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan named high-ranking South Sudanese officials they say warrant criminal investigation and prosecution for their part in grave atrocities against civilians  including killins, rape and sexual slavery, and mass displacement. 
  • The commission, which conducted a year-long investigation across six states in South Sudan and released a partial summary of its findings in March, said none of those named in the final report had faced any accountability for their crimes.
  • Yasmin Sooka, chair of the Commission, said: “[…] our findings have consistently shown that impunity for serious crimes is a central driver of violence and misery faced by civilians in South Sudan.”
  • The Commission chair added that therefore “we have taken the step of naming more of the individuals who warrant criminal investigation and prosecution for their role in gross human rights violations.”
  • Recent heavy fighting in Somaliland has killed 32 people, sources state.
  • As the second phase of the operations against al-Shabaab in Somalia kicks off, heavy clashes between militants and government troops are taking place around Mudug, north-central Somalia.
  • President Ruto from Kenya issued a statement suggesting “a bi-partisan engagement in Parliament on the reconstitution of the IEBC panel within the parameters of the law and the constitution”.
  • Raila Odinga, Kenyan opposition leader, has suspended anti-government protests scheduled for today, saying he was ready for negotiations after an appeal from President William Ruto.
  • At a press conference yesterday, Odinga said “We stand down our demonstrations for Monday, that is tomorrow, April 3, 2023. But in doing so, we want to emphasize that the right to assemble, to demonstrate, petition, and speak are iron-clad as provided for in our constitution.”
  • He added, “We agree that a balanced parliamentary process co-chaired by both sides and backed by experts from outside should proceed.”

Links of interest

የኤርትራ የጦር ጀነራሎችና ከፍተኛ የጦር መኮንኖች የኢትዮጵያ አርቲፊሻል ኢንተለጀንስ ኢንስቲትዩትን ጎበኙ

News: Commission, Amhara region officials hold consultative forum on DDR, as works to demobilize, reintegrate up to 250,000 ex-combatants underway

Tigrai TV on political prisoners

Ethiopia confirms mass entry of Ugandans fleeing ‘doomsday’

Russia ready to spur rapid space industry growth in Ethiopia

South Sudan: UN Inquiry decries impunity for Human Rights violations, identifies individuals warranting investigation

Letter of Riek Machar to IGAD

Somalia forces launch offensive to remove Al-Shabaab from remaining areas

Ruto: I suggest bipartisan engagement in parliament on reconstitution of the IEBC Panel

Kenya’s Raila Odinga suspends anti-government protests

Webinar Tigray Diaspora Council in Europe

The European Union, France and Ethiopia signed a 32 million Euro Financial support agreement.

Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.