South Africa hosts African Union peace talks on Ethiopia war

Chairperson of African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has commended South Africa’s leading role in trying to find a lasting solution to the civil war in Ethiopia.

South Africa is hosting African Union-led peace talks in Pretoria, which brought together warring factions for the first time since the war began in November 2020.

Former South Africa deputy president, a member of AU Panel of the Wise –  a body that provides guidance to continental body’s Peace and Security Council on issues relevant to conflict prevention – joined former Nigeria president Olusegun Obasanjo, who is AU High Representative for Horn of Africa and former president Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya as facilitators.

In a statement, Mahamat expressed his appreciation to President Cyril Ramaphosa and SA government for “graciously accepting to host the talks in the spirit of pan-African solidarity to find African solutions to African problems”.

Vincent Magwenya, SA’s presidential spokesperson, said the talks would continue until 30 October.