African Union has sent its monitoring team to Tigray amidst escalating clashes between federal and regional forces over disputed territories, and concerns over the implementation of Pretoria Agreement.
AU’s advance team of African experts under the African Union Monitoring, Verification and Compliance Mechanism (AU-MVCM) has arrived in Mekele today, according to the statement of AU Political Affairs Peace and Security (AUPAPS).
The AU-MVCM is “successfully redeployed after their administrative break, resuming their crucial mandate of monitoring the implementation of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement,” reads the statement.
AU-MVCM was first deployed to Tigray back in 2022 and then withdrew in 2024. The team basically was designated to oversee the disarmament of non-ENDF forces in Tigray, as per the Pretoria agreement.
The redeployment came weeks after military confrontations and clashes occurred in the disputed territories, between Tigray forces, ENDF, Amhara forces and also informally armed forces in the areas.
After AU issued statement last week calling for restraint, Tigray officials also signaled readiness for talks.
