After two years of fighting that has left hundreds of thousands displaced and on the brink of starvation, the announcement came out of the latest round of peace talks in South Africa.

By Abdi Latif Dahir and Lynsey Chutel/NYT

Nov. 2, 2022

A deal has been reached in the Ethiopian civil war with both sides agreeing to end hostilities after two years of fighting.

The African Union (AU) has called it a new "dawn", according to the AFP news agency.

The war, between the Ethiopian government and northern Tigray forces, caused a severe humanitarian crisis.

According to the World Health Organization, almost 90% of Tigrayans need food aid.

About a third of the region's children are suffering from malnutrition.

Both sides agreed to a disarmament plan as well as unhindered access to humanitarian supplies, said former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who mediated the talks.

He said the deal was just the beginning of the peace process in Ethiopia.

Speaking after the announcement, Tigray representatives said they hoped the two sides would honour the deal, the Reuters news agency reports.

They also said the fact an agreement was made showed both sides were ready to find a peaceful way forward, Reuters says.

The foreign minister of the country where the talks are being held - South Africa - also appealed to both sides to stick to the agreement. Nalendi Pandor warned that there are "no winners in war".

The UN said it supported the path to peace: "This is an opportunity to chart a new course. The young men and women who have been mobilised to fight will now have the chance to return to their homes and their families," said Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the body's special envoy for the Horn of Africa.

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