UN aid chief Martin Griffiths and the African Union’s envoy for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday visited the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia to discuss humanitarian access and a possible ceasefire in the year-long conflict.
Mr Obasanjo, a former Nigerian president and Mr Griffiths were in the regional capital Mekelle at the same time, according to reports.
It is unclear, however, whether the two were on the same trip.
Tigray TV reported that the two met ‘the president of Tigray government, Dr Debretsion Gebremichael’ in his office for talks on the ‘crisis in Ethiopia and ways to deliver humanitarian aid and regional issues’.
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It said Mr Griffiths and Mr Obasanjo later returned to Addis Ababa.
A UN spokesperson was quoted by the AFP news agency saying that Mr Griffiths met Tigray’s ‘de-facto authorities’ and insisted on ‘the need for humanitarian access and protection of civilians through all areas under their control”.
The TPLF spokesman, Getachew Reda, tweeted a photo apparently showing the meeting between Mr Obasanjo and TPLF leaders:
Africa Daily News, New York recalls that last November, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent the army to Tigray to oust Debretsion’s Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) from power in Tigray state.
Rebels took control of Mekelle in June.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
