Guterres urges immediate halt to fighting in northern Ethiopia
In a statement dated October 9, 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in northern Ethiopia and a return to dialogue under the Pretoria Agreement.
In short
- In a statement dated October 9, 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in northern Ethiopia and a return to dialogue under the Pretoria Agreement.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all parties to stop fighting in northern Ethiopia immediately and return to dialogue under the Pretoria Agreement.
A statement issued by his spokesperson in New York on October 9, 2026, and posted by the United Nations in Ethiopia on October 10, expressed concern about renewed hostilities in Tigray, Afar and Amhara. Guterres warned that further escalation could weaken regional stability.
The statement also raised concern about reports of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia. It did not present those reports as independently established findings or identify specific deployments.
Guterres urged countries with influence over the parties to support de-escalation and avoid actions that could intensify the conflict. He reiterated UN Charter obligations concerning states’ territorial integrity, political independence and non-interference, and offered his assistance in pursuing a diplomatic resolution.
The appeal places dialogue under the Pretoria Agreement at the centre of the proposed response. It announces no new talks or agreement to halt the fighting.
