Addis Abeba – The National Steering Committee, formed to resolve the “territorial disputes” between the Amhara and Tigray regions, has announced its intention to hold elections for interim local administrations in the western and southern areas of Tigray.
In an official statement issued on 12 August, 2024, the committee emphasized the urgent necessity of “electing local administrative structures.”
The committee outlined that these interim administrations would be elected “with the coordination of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), assistance from civil leaders appointed by the federal government, observation by the two regions, and full and direct participation of the people.”
The committee reported significant progress in the repatriation of displaced persons to the Raya and Tselemti areas. “The implementation phases so far have been highly successful and have shown results on the ground,” the statement read.
Since June 2024, a phased repatriation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has been underway in areas of northwestern Tigray. This process follows an agreement between the federal government and the Tigray interim administration that outlines plans for IDP returns to southern and western Tigray.
The repatriation to the Northwestern Tigray zone aims to return approximately 80,000 IDPs, with 8,500 to 10,000 slated for the Tselemti district. The process began late June, 2024, when the initial group of 1,500 IDPs returned to Tselemti district.
Although the second phase of returns faced a brief delay due to a disagreement between Amhara region elders and Tigrayan officials, subsequent phases have seen additional groups return, including nearly 2,200 IDPs in early August and approximately 5,000 more shortly after.
Addressing challenges in the process, the committee noted, “There were elements from both regions who were playing an obstructive role to prevent the success of the return of displaced persons.”
However, the statement stated that these efforts were “below the desire and capacity of the government and the people,” allowing the repatriation to proceed successfully.
The statement praised various entities for their roles in the repatriation process: “The ENDF’s role in leading and implementing the process was highly significant,” and “the constructive role of federal security institutions, especially the National Intelligence and Security Service and the Federal Police, in ensuring the success of the process was also acknowledged.”
Looking ahead, the committee stated, “The remaining issues should be resolved step by step with the initiated trust and commitment.”
It added that the experience gained from Raya and Tselemeti would be used “to strive to complete the process of returning the remaining displaced persons.”
The committee emphasized that this interim administration approach “will help the people establish the administration they deem fit and also help the areas return to the regular administrative system until they find a lasting solution.” AS
