Diplomats from five countries and the European Union have visited Mekelle as tensions rise between rival factions of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Ambassadors and representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Germany, France, and the European Union are in the region, reflecting the seriousness of the situation. “We are here in large numbers, which shows the degree of concern the international community has,” said Darren Welch, British Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, speaking to reporters in Mekelle.
In January 2025, the federal government issued a statement advising diplomats to avoid travel outside Addis Ababa. It remains unclear whether the diplomats coordinated their visit to Mekelle with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Reports from the region suggest that the diplomats met with Getachew Reda. They are also met with Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of one of the TPLF factions, who reportedly has the backing of most armed group commanders in the region.
In a social media post, Getachew stated, “The diplomats underscored that the return of IDPs should be the utmost priority for all stakeholders in the implementation of the Pretoria agreement and promised to do all they can to support this effort.”
