South Africa: TPLF Warns of ‘Serious Threat’ to Pretoria Deal As It Faces Revocation By Nebe in Two Weeks

Addis Abeba– The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has warned that the failure to reinstate its legal recognition could pose a “serious threat” to the Pretoria peace agreement, two weeks before the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is scheduled to revoke its full legal status.

The party has also reiterated that it “will not conduct any form of re-registration.”

In a statement issued on April 26, 2025, TPLF said stakeholders, including “the African Union Panel and the international community,” should acknowledge the “serious threat” caused by the failure to reinstate its recognition and called on them to “withdraw from their share of responsibility” for the potential consequences.

On February 13, 2025, NEBE announced that it was suspending TPLF from political activities for three months, citing the party’s “failure to fulfill legal obligations, including holding a general assembly.” The Board also stated that if TPLF did not take “corrective actions within the period,” its legal status would be “fully revoked.”

In response, TPLF rejected the suspension, asserting that the revocation of its legal status “has no legal effect,” whether formally rescinded or not. The party emphasized that it would not participate in “any form of re-registration,” maintaining that it “never requested to register as a new party” but rather sought to have its “legal identity restored” in accordance with the Pretoria Agreement.

In its recent statement, TPLF asserted that the “federal government’s revocation of its recognition had been rectified through the Pretoria peace agreement,” and said its engagements with the federal government aimed to ensure that “our organization’s recognition is officially reinstated,” motivated by “a commitment to peace.”

However, the party accused the federal government of undermining the agreement, saying it is “attempting to register TPLF as a new entity through NEBE” by issuing “new regulations and declarations outside the framework of the Pretoria deal. The Federal Government has in the past stated its stance on the legal status of the TPLF, insisting that the issue has been given an appropriate response by the electoral board.

“TPLF also stated that it had referred the matter to the African Union Panel, citing “actions by the federal government that undermine the Pretoria agreement.” The party said the “Panel recommended that TPLF’s legal status should be reinstated” and clarified that registering it as a new party would be inappropriate, suggesting instead that the issue “finalize until the Panel’s next meeting.”

“Nevertheless,” TPLF added, “the Panel has so far failed to convene, hindering the ability to assess violations of the agreement and its overall implementation.”

The party criticized NEBE’s recent actions, saying the Board “has been selectively quoting laws that do not apply to TPLF and issuing statements,” adding, “as we have repeatedly clarified, we will not compromise the Tigrayan people’s struggle in pursuit of legal recognition.”

TPLF further urged the federal government to “refrain from issuing declarations through NEBE” and emphasized that “the legal status of the party should be reinstated in a manner that supports the implementation of the Pretoria agreement.”

It was in January 2021 that NEBE first revoked the TPLF’s registration, citing the party’s “involvement in armed conflict” against the government. It also barred TPLF officials from acting on behalf of the party.

At the time, the Board asked the Federal Attorney General’s office to investigate the TPLF’s assets, directing that once the party’s debts were settled, any remaining property should be used for civic and voter education initiatives, in accordance with Article 99(3) of Proclamation No. 1162/2019.

In May 2023, the TPLF had submitted a letter requesting the reversal of the decision, arguing that the war had ended following the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed with the government in Pretoria in November of the previous year, to which the TPLF is a party to.