Ethiopia, African Union Sign Grant Agreement to Advance Peace Process

In a significant stride towards sustaining peace in Ethiopia, the Government of Ethiopia and the African Union (AU) officially inked a grant agreement at the Skylight Hotel. The agreement, aimed at supporting the demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration process, was signed on Thursday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the grant agreement outlines the disbursement of USD 1 million from the Crisis Reserve Fund of the AU to Ethiopia’s National Rehabilitation Commission.
The funds are designated to bolster efforts in the comprehensive implementation of the Agreement for Lasting Peace in Ethiopia through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities. This landmark agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, on November 2, 2022.
The Commissioner of the National Rehabilitation Commission, Ambassador Teshome Toga, and the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, were the signatories to the agreement. The ceremony took place in the presence of State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga.
During the signing ceremony, State Minister Ambassador Mesganu expressed gratitude to the African Union for its steadfast support and commitment to fostering and maintaining peace in Ethiopia. He underscored the AU’s pivotal role in the negotiation and signing of the Pretoria agreement.
The State Minister emphasized that the grant agreement signals the AU’s unwavering dedication to the full realization of the agreement, with a specific focus on the demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration process.
Ambassador Bankole conveyed appreciation for the Ethiopian Government’s dedication to implementing the Pretoria agreement. He characterized the signing ceremony as a historic moment in Africa’s history, noting that Ethiopia is the first beneficiary of the peace fund.
He assured Ethiopia of the AU’s ongoing collaboration and commitment to working closely with the Ethiopian Government to uphold peace throughout the country.
In his remarks, Ambassador Teshome expressed gratitude to the AU and its leadership for their instrumental role in achieving the Pretoria peace agreement. He pledged that the National Rehabilitation Commission would ensure the judicious allocation of the grant to those in need.
Ambassador Teshome also anticipated that this historic grant agreement would serve as an encouragement for other partners to support demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration initiatives in Ethiopia.