March 17th, 2023
TPLF’s had urgent Central Committee meeting on the agenda of forming interim administration and swapping some key positions and figures of the party. In doing so, the CC elected Getachew Reda as Tigray president. Getachew, a former university professor has worked in different capacities in the previous Tigray government. He was Advisor to the the president of Tigray; ExecCommittee member, TPLF. Member, Central Command, Government of Tigray and Head of Tigray External Affairs Office.
It was on March 16 that Getachew Reda tweeted his recent engagement with US State Department’s Secretary – Antony Blinken in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His tweet is quoted below:
Yesterday I was in Addis to meet @SecBlinken and brief him on the progress in the implementation of the Peace Agreement & the stumbling blocks going forward. We have reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to peace and to rise up to the challenges posed by forces bent on sabotaging peace; and our readiness to do our part in addressing the lingering issues ostensibly standing in the way of all rounded efforts to alleviate the sufferings of our people including the establishment of an interim administration. Equally important, we have shared our views on the need to ensure accountability for crimes committed in the war on and in Tigray. While the a robust transitional justice framework is commendable, it’s our position that accountability for crimes in Tigray goes beyond a national framework hence the need for international efforts.
@SecBlinken also reaffirmed the US government’s commitment to further consolidate efforts to enhance humanitarian, to mobilize resources for rehabilitation & to continue to engage the parties to the Agreement in the interest of peace & stability in Ethiopia & the entire region.
Getachew Reda’s Tweep
Photo taken during the CoHA Agreement back in November 2022.
It is to be recalled Lieutenant General Tsadkan Gebretinsae was nominated by GSTS for Cabinet Secretariat (Cluster) Decentralization and Democratization with the rank of Vice President. However, GSTS leadership couldn’t answer Aiga’s request to verify, if Tsadkan has accepted the nomination or not. Further, it is not clear yet whether the previous stakeholders’ nominations and the current TPLF’s decision to set Getachew as regional president-elect are final.
I would like to congratulate Ato Getachew Reda for nominating to be part of the Transitional Government of Tigray. Saying this I would like to underscore that under the current circumstances of Tigray, and Tegarus, no time should be spend in disagreement for the establishment of the Transitional government in Tigray in which its time span is very limited. The ball is in our court, thrown by international communities and Abiy and it is our responsibility to play a fair and civilized game to win the very challenging opponent, played out of the rule of the game. What should be clear here is that electing Ato Getachew is not the end game. The vital is the establishment of the transitional government, and its composition, how it represent all stake holders. I am sure Ato Getachew and his team will pay attention to this and without delay to break the impasse what Tigray has facing today. Saying this knowing the intentions of the enemies of Tigray in particular Shabia, and his new expansionist from Ethiopia together with Abiy will delay the establishment of transitional government in Tigray by bringing different excuses. What I mean is that Abiy may not accept Ato Getachew nomination. As I said many times Abiy new strategy is to kill more Tegarus in the name of “peace”. We together with our peace-loving people should work toward it, in exposing our enemies’ intentions.