April 29, 2026
Ethiopian Federal government yet to respond
Borkena
Toronto – Two weeks after Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced its decision to reinstate the Pre-War Tigray Regional Administration, Taddesse Worede is now requested to hand over power and not to make a “mistake.”
Michael Asgedom, TPLF spokesperson, told BBC Amharic, as published on Wednesday, that Tadesse Worede’s administration is being dismantled.
The spokesperson also said that the “rope that links [the region] with the Federal government is broken.” This stance seems to suggest that the TPLF is now officially declaring a de facto government in the region and not part of the Federal government in any form. However, the spokesperson left the matter as a grey area. “Regarding our relation with the Federal government we will see what happens next. In our relationship so far, the interim administration is being dismantled and the rope that connects us [he meant Tigray] with it is broken,” he added.
It was two weeks ago that the TPLF leaders passed the decision to reject extension of Tadesse Worede’s terms as president of the Tigray region Interim Administration and reinstate a TPLF led administration – including regional council – that was in place before war broke out in November 2020 when the TPLF attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defense Force in unsuspecting circumstances.
The assertion is that the administration in place before the war was an elected one. However, the election that TPLF conducted during COVID pandemic was rejected as illegal by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia. TPLF does not have an intention to undertake another election either on grounds of “40 percent lost territories” and displaced people.
The Interim Regional Administration is a Pretoria Agreement – which ended the war in November 2022 – arrangement. The Federal government extended the terms of the interim president by one year after an evaluative meeting with Tadesse Worede and his administration about two weeks ago.
The TPLF asserted that the extension is an illegal decision that violates the Pretoria Agreement. The Federal government in turn claims that it was “legal” in light of legislations updated by the Ethiopian parliament. It was making a reference to regulation enacted to form Tigray Interim Administration which was later amended.
TPLF argues that the Pretoria Agreement is now void. The reason is, it said, the Federal government violated it when it extended Tadesse’s term in office “unilaterally.”
The organization has been undertaking public meetings in different parts of the region explaining its decision to dismantle the Tadesse Worede Administration.
Tadesse Worede sees the TPLF move as a coup and has vowed that his removal can not happen with a use of force indicating a possible response if the TPLF is taking military action.
The Federal government has not yet remarked on the developments. However, there are unconfirmed reports of diplomatic efforts to influence change in TPLF’s decision. According to a Tigray based publisher, three U.S. diplomats on Monday met with TPLF leaders to whom they reportedly communicated U.S. stance if they are reigniting another war. The leaders might be facing asset freeze and travel ban to the U.S. Borkena’s reached out to U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa to confirm if the meeting happened. “We will revert as soon as we have further updates and feedback,” is the response from the embassy.
Ethiopian government sees Eritrean government involvement in the post-pretoria agreement political crisis in the region. If war breaks out in the region this time, there is anticipation that Eritrea will fight on the side of TPLF, not against it as was the case during the war between 2020-2022.
__
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
To Support Borkena : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/ – one time support or small monthly options available. Inquire information about it : info@borkena.com
Like borkena on Facebook
To submit Press Release, send submission to info@borkena.com