Ethiopia’s fragile peace is once again under threat following the decision by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) to revoke the legal status of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF, which governs the Tigray region through an interim administration established as part of the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement, has been deregistered for failing to hold a general assembly—a requirement for all political parties under Ethiopian law.
The deregistration has sparked widespread concern both within Ethiopia and internationally. The TPLF, once the country’s most dominant political party, condemned the move as politically motivated and warned that it undermines the very foundation of the peace agreement that ended a devastating two-year civil war. That conflict, which raged from 2020 to 2022, led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people, leaving a deep scar across the Tigray region and beyond.
In response to the ban, the TPLF has called on the African Union to step in and mediate between the party and the federal government. In a letter to the AU, the party stated that the ban strips it of a political right it regained under the Pretoria Agreement and called for international pressure on the federal government to halt the enforcement of the decision. The party insists that ongoing internal divisions and regional instability have made it impossible to meet the requirement of holding a general assembly, especially as two rival factions continue to dispute control of the party.
The 2022 Pretoria Agreement, brokered by the African Union with support from the United States and other global stakeholders, emphasized mutual political recognition and inclusivity among its signatories. Critics argue that by banning the TPLF, the federal government is violating the spirit and potentially the letter of the peace deal. This move, they say, could jeopardize the fragile peace and erode trust among stakeholders.
TPLF Deputy Chairman Ammanuel Assefa told the BBC that the deregistration is more than a legal or political issue; it threatens the sacrifices made by citizens in pursuit of peace. The delay in implementing several key components of the agreement, such as the return of over one million displaced persons, power-sharing arrangements, and the disarmament process, has already strained the deal. The TPLF ban adds a new layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation.
International concern is growing. The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have all issued warnings about the rising tensions in Tigray, urging Ethiopian authorities to avoid any actions that could lead to a resumption of hostilities. Aid organizations on the ground have reported that many parts of Tigray still suffer from limited humanitarian access, economic hardship, and persistent insecurity.
As Ethiopia prepares for nationwide elections expected by June 2026, the exclusion of a major political actor like the TPLF could destabilize the region of Tigray and the entire country. Analysts caution that without immediate diplomatic efforts, including AU intervention and consistent international engagement, the country risks unraveling the progress made since the Pretoria Agreement. For many in Tigray, the fear is palpable. As one resident put it: “No one can handle another war.”
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