Ethiopia’s government and regional forces in Tigray agreed on Wednesday to end hostilities, a major diplomatic breakthrough after a two-year war that has killed thousands, displaced millions and starved hundreds of thousands, Reuters reported.

Just over a week after formal peace talks brokered by the African Union (AU) began in the South African capital of Pretoria, delegates from both sides signed an agreement that an AU official described as a “final cessation of hostilities”.

“The two sides of the conflict in Ethiopia have officially agreed on a cessation of hostilities, as well as a systematic, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament,” Olusegun Obasanjo, head of the AU mediation group, said at the ceremony.

Obasanjo, Nigeria’s former president, said the agreement also included “restoration of public order, restoration of services, unimpeded access to humanitarian supplies, protection of civilians.”

The agreement was not expected so soon. Earlier on Wednesday, the AU invited the media to what he called Obasanjo’s briefing. Only after the start of the press conference three hours late did it become clear that the truce was about to be signed.

“This moment is not the end of the peace process. The implementation of the peace agreement signed today is essential to its success,” Obasanjo said, adding that it would be monitored and monitored by the AU commission.

He praised the process as an African solution to an African problem.

Ethiopian government official Redwan Hussien, who is Prime Minister Abia Ahmed’s national security adviser, said all parties must abide by the agreement.

In response, Tigray delegate Getachew Reda, the spokesperson for the regional government, spoke of the mass death and destruction in the region and said he hoped and expected both sides to honor their commitments.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

“This is a welcome first step that we hope can begin to bring some comfort to the millions of Ethiopian civilians who have really suffered during this conflict,” Dujarric told reporters.

On the side of the Ethiopian army in the conflict took part the troops of Eritrea, a separatist country bordering Tigray, as well as forces from other regions of Ethiopia.

Neither Eritrea nor regional powers took part in the South African talks, and there was no mention at Wednesday’s ceremony of whether they would abide by the ceasefire.

The war was sparked by a catastrophic breakdown in relations between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a guerrilla-turned-political party that has dominated Ethiopia for 27 years, and Abiy, who was once part of their coalition government but was appointed in 2018 ended TPLF dominance.

Rising tensions in 2018-2020, including Abia’s peace deal with TPLF enemy Eritrea and the TPLF’s decision to defy him by holding regional elections in Tigray, pushed the sides to war.