Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Defending the Pretoria Peace Agreement: The People’s Mandate Beyond the TPLF
Executive Summary:
The Pretoria peace Agreement or the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement – (PPA,CoHA)signed in November 2022,remains remains the only legitimateand internationally recognized framework for peace between the Ethiopian Federal Governmentand the people of Tigray.
While the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) was initially a partyto the negotiation, recent legal, political, and ethical developments—most notably its revocationby the Ethiopian National Election Board (NEBE)—have rendered the TPLF politically obsoleteand legally void.
This document afirms that the CoHA is the rightful property of the people ofTigray, not the TPLF, and that its continuity and implementation are to be upheld by Tigray’slegitimate representatives, including the Tigray Interim Government (TIG) and the originalsignatories.
I. The Legal and Political Status of the TPLF
Revocation by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE): In 2024, NEBE formally revokedthe legal status of the TPLF as a political party, citing constitutional violations, militaryinsurrections, and organized criminal activities. As per Ethiopian law, no defunct or bannedpolitical party may represent a population in any form of national or international agreement.
De Facto and De Jure Collapse:
Politically speaking, the TPLF is already dead. Its ideologica lrigidity, criminal networks, and collaboration with external hostile regimes such as Eritrea’s PFDJ have rendered it bankrupt in the eyes of the people of Tigray and the international community.
No Threat to CoHA Legitimacy:
The PPA was signed not on behalf of the TPLF but on behalf ofthe people of Tigray. The legal interpretation—both under Ethiopian federal law and internationalconflict resolution doctrine—holds that peace agreements are binding upon successors andrepresentatives of the people, not specific political parties.
II. Ownership of the Pretoria Peace Agreement
People-Centric Ownership:
The true owners of the CoHA are the people of Tigray. The TPLF wasmerely a transient vessel at the time of signing, now dissolved by law and rejected by society.The will and aspirations for peace belong to the people.Current Custodians and Signatories: The active custodians of the CoHA on the Tigrayan sideinclude:
- Getachew Reda – Former President of the Tigray Interim Government, a reformist leader withconsistent commitment to peace.
- General Tsadkan Gebretensae – A seasoned military and diplomatic strategist, signer of the CoHA, and advocate of a peaceful and professional TDF.
- Assefa Abraha – A veteran politician and respected peace advocate.These three figures continue to honor and defend the Pretoria Peace Agreement, irrespective ofthe TPLF’s downfall.
III. Present Threats to the Pretoria Peace AgreementAbove the Core Military Factions: A politically afiliated paramilitary group within the TigrayDefense Forces (TDF), known as “Above the Core,” composed of loyalists to the defunct TPLF,has emerged as a disruptive element. They have conspired with the Eritrean regime (PFDJ) todestabilize Tigray and violate the terms of the CoHA.
Unholy Nexus with Eritrea:
The criminal collaboration between remnants of the TPLF andEritrean intelligence constitutes a direct and material breach of the CoHA. It endangers regionalpeace, violates ceasefire terms, and undermines Ethiopia’s internal sovereignty.
International Legal Perspective:
Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties andrelated conflict resolution frameworks, third-party sabotage or acts of aggression do not dissolvea peace agreement but reinforce the need for its defense and enforcement.
IV. Continuity of the Peace Process: The Road AheadTigray’s New Political Pathway:
The Pretoria Peace Agreement must be implemented throughthe new political infrastructure of Tigray, led by the Tigray Interim Government (TIG) underGeneral Tadesse Worede, with support from the original signatories.
Exclusion of TPLF Members: Given its ban and criminal liabilities, former TPLF members mustnot be involved in any peace negotiation, governance, or political representation. Their inclusionwould legally and morally invalidate the process.
Need for Accountability: All actors—including military units or political cells working against thePPA—must be held accountable under both Ethiopian and international law. This includes thoseconspiring with foreign regimes to ignite conflict.
International Support and Oversight:
The African Union, United Nations, European Union, andthe United States must uphold their roles as guarantors of the CoHA, ensuring that threats fromillegal actors do not derail the agreement.
V. Strategic Policy Recommendations
- Strengthen the Role of the Tigray Interim Government as the sole legitimate political authorityrepresenting the people of Tigray.
- Expel and Deactivate the TPLF-afiliated Above the Core militia factions through a legaldisarmament process and reintegration programs.
- Establish an Independent International Monitoring Commission to investigate breaches of thePretoria Agreement, especially the Eritrean-TPLF nexus.
- Engage Diplomatically with Key International Stakeholders to reinforce the legitimacy of thePretoria Agreement while countering disinformation by the defunct TPLF.
- Uphold Civilian Protection and Economic Recovery in Tigray as peace dividends, aligninggovernance with public legitimacy rather than defunct party structures.
Conclusion: The Pretoria Peace Agreement Belongs to the People, Not to a Party
The demise of the TPLF marks a necessary political evolution in post-genocide Tigray. Its collapse cannot and must not be misrepresented as a failure of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.Rather, it signifies a new beginning—one grounded in democratic legitimacy,post-waraccountability, and collective healing.
The peace process must continue with Tigray’s legitimate representatives, independent of theTPLF’s political corpse and its destabilizing networks. The international community must stand firm with the people of Tigray and the Pretoria Agreement’s living custodian
Issued By:
Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR)In collaboration with international legal, diplomatic, and security experts.
The strategic document titled “Defending the Pretoria Peace Agreement: The People’s Mandate Beyond the TPLF” has been drafted.
It clearly outlines why the Pretoria Agreement remains intact despite the TPLF’s political revocation, emphasizing that the agreement belongs to the people of Tigray, not to any defunct political party.
