The Tigray Territorial Dispute: Conflict, Claims, and the Pretoria Agreement

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  Published in Politics and Government on Monday, April 20th 2026 at 15:36 GMT by Reuters
      Locale: ETHIOPIA

The Core of the Territorial Dispute

The primary point of contention involves areas in Western and Southern Tigray. Before the outbreak of the war in November 2020, these territories were administered as part of the Tigray Regional State. However, during the conflict, forces from the neighboring Amhara region, alongside the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), seized control of these lands. The Amhara regional government claims that these areas were illegally incorporated into Tigray decades ago and are historically Amhara territories.

For the TPLF and the people of Tigray, the restoration of these borders is not merely a political goal but a requirement for the full implementation of the peace process. The demand for a return to pre-war boundaries is framed as a restoration of the constitutional order that existed prior to the hostilities.

The Pretoria Agreement and its Implementation

The cessation of hostilities was formally codified in the Pretoria Agreement, signed in November 2022. This agreement provided a framework for the disarmament of Tigrayan forces and the restoration of federal authority. A critical component of the peace process involves the resolution of territorial disputes through constitutional means, which typically implies a referendum or a legal adjudication process.

Despite the agreement, the transition of power in contested areas has been slow and fraught with difficulty. While the federal government has acknowledged the need to return displaced persons and restore administrative order, the actual withdrawal of Amhara regional forces has remained inconsistent. The TPLF argues that the continued presence of these forces constitutes a violation of the peace terms and prevents the region from achieving stability.

Geopolitical and Humanitarian Implications

The failure to resolve these boundary disputes has significant humanitarian consequences. Thousands of Tigrayans who were forcibly displaced from Western Tigray during the war remain unable to return to their homes. Reports from international observers have highlighted the dire conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the ethnic tensions that persist in the disputed zones.

Furthermore, the stalemate poses a risk to the wider stability of Ethiopia. The tension is not only between the TPLF and the federal government but also between the Tigray and Amhara ethnic groups. Any perceived failure by the federal government to enforce the Pretoria Agreement could potentially reignite localized conflicts or lead to a broader breakdown in security.

Summary of Key Details

• Primary Objective: The TPLF is seeking the total restoration of Tigray's pre-war administrative boundaries.
• Contested Zones: The focus is primarily on Western Tigray (including areas like Wolkait and Humera) and Southern Tigray.
• Opposing Claims: The Amhara region claims historical ownership of these lands, while Tigray claims them based on the established constitutional boundaries prior to 2020.
• Legal Framework: The Pretoria Agreement serves as the official roadmap for peace, though its implementation regarding territorial handover remains a point of friction.
• Humanitarian Impact: Massive population displacement continues, with many Tigrayans barred from returning to their ancestral lands in the contested areas.
• Security Risk: The presence of non-federal forces in these disputed regions is viewed by the TPLF as a barrier to peace and a violation of the cessation of hostilities.

The Path Forward

The resolution of the Tigray territorial crisis requires a delicate balance between the federal government's authority and the regional aspirations of both Tigray and Amhara. While the TPLF insists on an immediate return to the status quo ante, the federal government faces the challenge of managing Amhara regional sensitivities to avoid triggering a new insurgency. The ultimate resolution likely hinges on the federal government's ability to deploy a neutral security force to facilitate the return of displaced populations and conduct a transparent, constitutional process to determine the final status of the contested territories.