World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called on Ethiopia’s federal government and regional leaders to pursue a political resolution to the country’s conflicts rather than continuing to rely on military force.
Dr. Tedros, who previously served as Ethiopia’s Minister of Health and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the fighting spreading across the country is inflicting heavy suffering on civilians and threatening national stability. In a social media statement, he pointed to three years of conflict in the Amhara region and worsening conditions in Oromia, warning that instability is now extending into Afar and Benishangul-Gumuz, with large parts of the country either engaged in fighting or bracing for it.
His appeal comes amid growing international concern over the possibility of renewed confrontation between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Dr. Tedros called on military and political leaders on all sides to exercise restraint, emphasizing that war brings death, destruction, and lasting economic and social damage, and urged both federal and regional authorities to prioritize dialogue over armed conflict.
Tensions have escalated following reports of clashes near Shererina, close to Ethiopia’s border with Sudan. The federal government has not issued an official response to those reports, but accounts from the area have added to fears of further military escalation.
TPLF officials have publicly stated on various platforms that they are preparing for renewed conflict, framing their objective as challenging the federal government under the Prosperity Party. Federal officials, in turn, accuse TPLF members of coordinating with outside actors and planning hostilities.
Getachew Reda, an advisor to the Prime Minister on Horn of Africa affairs and former head of Tigray’s interim administration, said on social media that TPLF leadership, after previously denying outside coordination, has since acknowledged cooperation with Eritrean forces. He said the group is resisting peace efforts in favor of pursuing federal regime change, and called on the government to fully implement the 2022 Pretoria peace deal while continuing to show restraint despite provocations. He also urged international partners to use satellite surveillance along border areas and to hold accountable those pushing toward war.
The 2020–2022 northern Ethiopia war killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions before the African Union helped broker the Pretoria Agreement. With its anniversary approaching, recent border incidents and heightened rhetoric from both sides have prompted renewed calls for restraint from the AU and international diplomats.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told parliament that the TPLF is engaging in ongoing military provocations. TPLF Chairman Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, addressing residents in Mekelle, said Tigray’s forces are prepared to confront the federal government and are no longer isolated as they were in the past, a claim that has stoked concern that any renewed fighting could draw in outside regional powers.
Source: Borkena, “WHO Chief Calls for Political Dialogue to Stop Conflicts in Ethiopia” (August 9, 2026).
