[ad_1]
Pope Francis calls on the Ethiopian authorities to choose the path of peace and expresses his hope that the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Tunis can bring about peace and stability in Libya.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Francis said he is following with concern the news of an escalation of violence in Ethiopia and called on the authorities there to “reject the temptation of armed conflict.”
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Pope invited all Ethiopians “to prayer and fraternal respect for dialogue and the peaceful resolution of discord.”
The Pope’s appeal comes as the United Nations warned that nine million people are at risk of being displaced by the escalating conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. UN observers also said today that the government’s declaration of a state of emergency was blocking food and other aid.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is pushing ahead with a military campaign he announced on Wednesday, despite international calls for dialogue with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rather than risking civil war. The Tigrayans dominated Ethiopian politics for decades until Abiy took office in 2018 and are reportedly fighting his efforts to remove his grip on power.
Libyan Political Dialogue Forum
Pope Francis then turned his thoughts to the quest for stability in Libya, noting that the first meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, which includes and involves all parties, is about to start in the Tunisian capital, Tunis.
He described the forum as an important event and said: “I sincerely hope that at this delicate moment, a solution will be found to the long suffering of the Libyan people.”
Expressing his hope that “The recent permanent ceasefire agreement will be respected and finalized, the Pope asked for prayers for the Forum delegates.
The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) is a fully inclusive intra-Libyan political dialogue established by the Results of the Berlin Conference, last January, which were endorsed by the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
Represents a variety of different electoral districts, based on the principles of inclusion, fair geographic, ethnic, political, tribal and social representation.
