The leaders of the Tigray regional states have revealed plans to form a new interim administration. The House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR) is also expected to overturn its designation of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as a terrorist organization.
The Pretoria peace accord was signed on November 2, 2022 after an agreement reached between the federal government and the TPLF. It specifies that the formation of an inclusive interim regional administration by political dialogue between the parties.
The body will be established “until elections for the Regional Council and the HPR are held under the supervision of the Ethiopian National Election Board (NEBE).”
The interim government will likely include representatives from the TPLF, the Prosperity Party, and Tigray’s opposition parties. The TPLF, which is currently in charge of the region without the approval of NEBE, will only be included in the interim government if the Parliament reverses its designation as a terrorist organization.
The establishment of the interim administration has not yet begun, despite the fact that the execution of the peace deal is proceeding positively, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) met with Tigrayan leaders a few weeks ago.
Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), the leader and chairperson of the TPLF, said that his team is already getting ready to set up the temporary government in Mekelle on February 17, 2023, which is the 48th anniversary of the TPLF.
The formation of an interim administration in Tigray is expected to take place within a week of the Parliament removing the TPLF from the list of designated terrorist organizations, according to Debretsion.
He says that this is as per the Pretoria agreement, and the TPLF’s removal from the list was delayed by Parliament. “As a result, we have decided to start the preparations ahead until the delisting is made.”
“We are working hard to make the interim government acceptable both to our people and the federal government,” Debretsion added.
Two days before Debretsion’s comments, Tigray’s military commander, Tadesse Werede (Gen.), announced the formation of a Committee to oversee the formation of an interim administration. The Committee will officially begin public dialogue.
Tadesse claims that once the discussion is over, the Committee will enter into negotiations with the federal government to move forward with forming the interim government.
“The interim government is urgently needed in order to solve the pressing challenges in the region. The process for the establishment of the interim government will be democratic, inclusive, and transparent,” Tadesse says. He asserts that this process will involve military personnel, politicians, and academics.
Moreover, the federal government is getting ready for the establishment of the Tigray interim government.
The Reporter’s inquiries on when and how the TPLF may begin working with the governing Prosperity Party bore no fruit.
State Minister of the Federal Government Communication Service Selamawit Kassa told The Reporter, “We will disclose the information whenever the Committee appointed to work on this topic provides the material.”
