10 October 2026 — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia’s Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions, warning that renewed fighting threatens wider regional stability.
The statement was issued through spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric in New York on 9 October and published by the United Nations in Ethiopia on 10 October.
Guterres urged the signatories to return to dialogue within the framework of the Pretoria Agreement. His appeal places renewed negotiations at the centre of the UN response to the escalation.
The Secretary-General also expressed concern over reports of Eritrean forces being present in Ethiopia. The statement presents this as a reported development, rather than providing independent confirmation.
He reminded regional States of their UN Charter obligations to respect other States’ territorial integrity and political independence, alongside the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.
Guterres asked governments with influence over the parties to support de-escalation and avoid actions that could intensify the conflict. He also offered his good offices to assist diplomatic efforts.
References
- UN Ethiopia: statement published 10 October, dated 9 October 2026
- UN News: report on the Secretary-General’s appeal
Illustrative Ethiopian landscape near Abune Yosef; not a photograph of current fighting. Photo: Erik Hathaway / Unsplash.