UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the African Union (AU)’s appointment of three high-level envoys to help resolve the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, calling it a ‘peace initiative’. .
The envoys are Joaquim Chissano, former president of Mozambique; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former Liberian president, and Kgalema Motlanthe, former president of South Africa.
They were appointed on Friday by the AU chairman, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
The Secretary-General, who welcomed the decision, emphasized UN support for efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Ethiopia, according to a statement issued by its spokesman later in the day.
“He praises the President of the African Union, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, for this initiative and expresses the full support of the United Nations. He also expresses his appreciation to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia for taking this initiative for peace. made possible, “it said.
In the past two weeks, more than 30,000 people have fled the Tigray region, in northern Ethiopia, to Sudan to fight between national and regional forces.
The UN estimates that up to 200,000 could turn up in the coming months.