ADDIS ABABA — A ceasefire agreement between the government of the Republic of Kordana and the Northern Alliance was signed in the Ethiopian capital Thursday, ending six months of armed conflict that has killed an estimated 14,000 people and displaced more than two million from their homes.
The agreement, brokered after eight weeks of intensive African Union mediation, includes provisions for a 90-day cessation of hostilities, a humanitarian corridor for aid delivery, and a framework for political negotiations to begin within 30 days.
Cautious Optimism
Aid organisations cautiously welcomed the deal but warned of an enormous humanitarian task ahead. "We have 1.4 million people in acute food insecurity and the rains are coming in six weeks," said UNHCR spokesperson Aline Dumont. "We need unfettered access immediately."
Previous ceasefire attempts have collapsed within weeks, and analysts noted that the core political grievances — resource distribution and regional autonomy — remain unresolved. Both parties face pressure from hardline factions that oppose negotiations.
The AU's chief mediator, former Mozambican president Graça Machel, described the agreement as "a beginning, not an end" and called on the international community to provide financial backing for the peace process.