UN Urges End to Tigray Fighting, Humanitarian Access and Civilian Rule Restoration

UN Urges As fighting intensifies in northern Ethiopia, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Ozonnia Ojielo, has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the restoration of civilian governance, and expanded humanitarian access in Tigray. The appeal follows the federal government’s establishment of a six-month caretaker administration in the region.

Speaking after a meeting with Assefa Abraha Hagos, Chief Executive for Administration and Public Services for the new administration, Ojielo emphasized that residents desperately want an end to the conflict and a return to normalcy.

“The fighting must stop, the looting must stop, the shooting must stop,” Ojielo said, stressing the urgent need to restore peace and security so citizens can live free from fear.

He noted that reinstating civilian governance and the rule of law will be critical to reopening markets, enabling traders to resume business, and reviving local economic activity.

Beyond security and governance, Ojielo underscored the necessity of unhindered humanitarian access to deliver vital food, nutrition, medicine, clean water, and protection services to those in need. He also highlighted the safe return of displaced persons and accountability for past abuses as critical priorities requiring immediate attention.

The UN coordinator’s remarks follow the federal government’s appointment of a caretaker administration to govern Tigray for six months amid renewed clashes between federal forces and fighters aligned with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

The renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia erupted on September 24, 2026, culminating in federal forces and allies seizing control of the regional capital, Mekelle. The shift in control has heightened political tensions over regional governance. Meanwhile, deep divisions persist between federal authorities and the TPLF regarding political authority and the full implementation of the November 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which formally ended the prior conflict.

Reiterating that the people of Tigray urgently require humanitarian aid and the space to rebuild their livelihoods, Ojielo urged Ethiopians to support the caretaker administration. He also appealed to leaders involved in armed conflicts across other parts of the country to pursue a negotiated settlement.

“The people of Tigray are tired of war and they want normalcy,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Ojielo pledged continued UN support for the administration and called on the international community to bolster efforts aimed at restoring peace, security, and humanitarian relief in Tigray and broader regions of Ethiopia.

Echoing these sentiments, US Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga framed the current juncture as a vital window for conflict-affected populations to return home and rebuild.

“Today offers the opportunity for them to start quickly,” Massinga said in an interview with The Reporter, pointing to the urgency of enabling displaced citizens to return to their communities, restart farms and businesses, and reopen schools.

Massinga stressed that the welfare of civilians caught in political turmoil must supersede partisan agendas, asserting that it is “more than time for politicians and politics to take a back seat” to the fundamental well-being of the people.