Ethiopian President Taye Atske-Selassie Amde told the UN that Ethiopia had shown "immense restraint" even as fresh fighting in Tigray undermined the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. He accused unnamed external actors of interference while stressing Addis Ababa's role in regional diplomacy and peace efforts in Sudan. Diplomats warned the clashes risk escalating into a wider regional war that could draw in armed groups and destabilise the Red Sea corridor.
Ethiopia Says It Showed "Immense Restraint" as Renewed Tigray Fighting Threatens Regional Peace
Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 23, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Hours after renewed clashes in Tigray shattered a four-year-old peace pact, Ethiopian President Taye Atske-Selassie Amde told the United Nations that his country had shown "immense restraint" and continued to make progress with neighbouring states despite external interference.
Speaking to the UN General Assembly, the president framed Ethiopia as a stabilising force in the Horn of Africa, accusing unnamed external actors of meddling in internal affairs while highlighting Addis Ababa's diplomatic efforts to strengthen regional ties and support peace initiatives in Sudan.
"Despite continued interference in our internal affairs by adversarial elements, we have exercised immense restraint," he said. "Our message to forces of destruction and mayhem is loud and clear. We urge them to respect the sacred right of the people of the Horn of Africa to live in peace and prosperity."
Senior Ethiopian officials said forces from Tigray launched a major offensive against the federal government, while leaders in Tigray described their actions as a defensive response to federal aggression. The renewed clashes follow months of escalating hostility between the two sides.
Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 23, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
On Sunday, seven armed groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), announced the formation of the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival, saying their aim is to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. Abiy's spokesperson alleged members of the alliance had been coordinating for some time and received financial backing from neighbouring Eritrea; Eritrea has repeatedly denied such accusations.
Diplomats and analysts warn the renewed fighting could quickly escalate into a broader regional conflict, overlapping with the war in neighbouring Sudan and further destabilising the volatile Red Sea corridor.
The civil war that began in 2020 between the TPLF and federal forces resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths before the Pretoria Agreement was signed in November 2022.
Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo; Editing by Howard Goller.
Help us improve.
