IDP return, peace deal implementation ‘necessary steps, not ultimatums’
The National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) says constitutional reintegration, implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, and the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) will not be preconditions for Tigray’s participation in the national dialogue process.
During a press briefing on Friday, a week after the Commission representatives embarked on a three-day visit to Tigray, NDC spokesman Tebebu Tadesse emphasized that although these matters were raised repeatedly by stakeholders in the region, they emerged as substantive agenda items rather than demands that must be fulfilled before dialogue could proceed.
The Commission’s discussions in Tigray also included the TPLF.
“This is a critical distinction,” said Tebebu. “No party said they wouldn’t engage if these issues are not resolved. Rather, the tone was that addressing these issues would make the process more inclusive and credible.”
The ENDC’s visit, led by its commissioners, marked its first sustained outreach in post-war Tigray and is part of a broader attempt to build trust, assess stakeholder readiness, and lay the groundwork for future rounds of dialogue, according to the spokesperson.
Tigray is late to the national dialogue stage owing to reluctance from the TIA under former president Getachew Reda and unresolved issues surrounding the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
However, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Worede, the new TIA president, endorsed the start of the dialogue in Tigray after reaching an agreement with the Commission recently.
The ENDC delegation also held face-to-face discussions with the TIA president and his cabinet, senior TPLF officials, civil society leaders, and political parties.
According to the Commission, participants welcomed its efforts as a positive first step. Many voiced hope that sustained dialogue could help address Tigray’s internal challenges and contribute to national reconciliation.
However, calls for restoring the region’s constitutional status, ensuring the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, and facilitating the return of IDPs emerged as top concerns. While the ENDC reaffirmed that these topics would be part of the dialogue, it firmly underscored that none were presented as entry conditions for the process.
“This was never a meeting with the expectation that dialogue would begin the next morning,” Tebebu asserted. “Our aim was to initiate contact, understand the local context, and begin identifying conditions that can support genuine engagement. Some issues require consultations at multiple levels; regional, federal, and even international.”
The Commission’s Mekelle visit comes amid ongoing skepticism from key opposition parties in Tigray, who continue to denounce the ENDC as illegitimate and as an entity controlled by the federal government.
Back in April, Dejen Mezgebe (PhD), leader of the Tigray Independence Party (TIP), and Berhane Atsbeha, spokesperson for the Salsay Weyane Tigray party, both criticized the process for its omission of “the Tigrayan people’s core political questions.”
Berhane had previously dismissed the Commission as “state-sponsored theatre,” while Dejen called it “dead on arrival,” citing its perceived failure to guarantee self-determination and accountability.
Despite such opposition, the ENDC insists that the process is open to all, with inclusivity and trust-building forming the foundation for its work in Tigray.
“We recognize that for dialogue to be meaningful, every voice must be heard. That includes critics and skeptics,” said the spokesperson.
According to him, during the consultations in Mekelle, stakeholders stressed that implementing the Pretoria Agreement, signed to end the two-year war between federal and Tigray forces, remains central to resolving political and humanitarian grievances.
“The return of displaced communities and the full constitutional reintegration of Tigray were identified as necessary steps but not as ultimatums,” Tebebu said. “Participants were clear. These are not preconditions, but they are priorities.”
The ENDC is preparing for successive rounds of dialogue in the region. It has identified previously excluded stakeholders and is working to expand participation through additional consultations, according to Tebebu.
“Our goal is to build trust through transparency, inclusion, and continued dialogue,” he said. “As long as it is addressed through discussion, no one is excluded, and no issue is off the table.”
On the other hand, the Commission has also begun collecting agenda items from the Ethiopian diaspora with the first virtual forum held with Ethiopians living across Africa starting on July 29.
“The Commission has deployed five commissioners to Pretoria, South Africa, where an in-person forum is scheduled for August 9,” said the spokesperson.
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