The International Peace Bureau (IPB) and Peace 1st Ethiopia reaffirm their solidarity with the people of Ethiopia and their commitment to peace, human dignity, social cohesion, and sustainable development. At this important time, we encourage all stakeholders to support calm, constructive engagement and peaceful approaches that protect communities and strengthen the country’s stability.
Ethiopia has a long history of resilience, cultural diversity, and community solidarity. Recent reports of insecurity and tensions in parts of northern Ethiopia underline the importance of continued efforts to prevent further violence, reduce tensions, and create conditions in which people can live safely and pursue their livelihoods. The situation calls for careful communication, mutual understanding, and a shared commitment to preventing harm to civilians.
The experience of the 2020–2022 conflict in northern Ethiopia brought profound hardship to many communities and highlighted the human, social, and economic costs of armed conflict – especially gendered dimensions. Protecting the lives and dignity of all people, supporting recovery, and preventing a return to widespread violence are shared responsibilities that deserve the support of Ethiopian institutions, communities, civil society, and international partners.
We welcome constructive efforts by the African Union, regional partners, community leaders, and other stakeholders to promote stability and peaceful solutions. We encourage continued dialogue and confidence-building measures, including engagement consistent with the 2022 Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, as appropriate, to consolidate peace and address outstanding concerns through peaceful means.
With a spirit of partnership and respect for Ethiopia’s sovereignty and institutions, we encourage the following peacebuilding priorities:
- Ensure an immediate ceasefire between involved parties.
- Promote the safety, dignity, and protection of civilians in all affected communities.
- Facilitate timely, impartial humanitarian assistance for people in need and support the safe work of humanitarian personnel.
- Strengthen dialogue, reconciliation, and confidence-building among relevant Ethiopian stakeholders, including communities, elders, women, youth, and civil society.
- Support peaceful diplomatic engagement and regional cooperation through appropriate African Union and other agreed mechanisms.
- Encourage responsible public communication that reduces misinformation, inflammatory rhetoric, and polarization.
- Invest in education, livelihoods, psychosocial support, inclusive economic opportunities, and community-led recovery as foundations for lasting peace.
- Promote cooperation among neighboring countries and partners to prevent tensions from escalating and to advance shared interests in peace, trade, and development.
- Halt all arms transfers to conflicting parties.
Peacebuilding is a shared and ongoing process. We believe that dialogue, mutual respect, inclusive participation, and practical cooperation can help communities overcome differences and build a safer and more prosperous future. Ethiopia’s stability and development are important to its people and to the wider Horn of Africa.
Our message is one of partnership and hope: let us strengthen peace, deepen dialogue, protect human dignity, and work together for a stable and prosperous Ethiopia.
International Peace Bureau (IPB) & Peace 1st Ethiopia