In a major move towards peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia, Getachew Reda, the president of Tigray Interim Administration, made a historic visit today to Bahir Dar, the seat of the Amhara Region. This marks the first visit by a high-ranking Tigrayan official to the region since the war between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the government forces ended with a peace agreement signed in Pretoria almost seven months ago.
Earlier in the day, Reda welcomed Adanech Abiebie, the mayor of Addis Ababa, at the airport in Mekelle, the seat of Tigray. The mayor laid the cornerstone for a secondary school that will be built by the Addis Ababa City Government. After welcoming the mayor, Reda flew to Bahir Dar to continue his historic visit.
The visit is seen as a positive sign of progress towards reconciliation between Tigray and Amhara regions, which were at the center of the conflict that devastated the country for two years since November 2020.
During his visit, Getachew emphasized the importance of peace, stating that “peace has no alternative.” Yilkal Kefale, the president of the Amhara Region, echoed his sentiment, stressing the need for unity and collaboration between their respective regions.
