Ethiopia’s House of the People’s Representatives voted Wednesday to remove the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) from the country’s list of terrorist organizations. In a Facebook post, the House announced the measure was necessary “in order to bring lasting peace based on the peace agreement.” The measure passed with a significant majority.

The vote follows a November 2022 agreement negotiated by the African Union to end the two year war which left thousands dead and millions displaced. Additionally, the war combined with a disruption in the global food supply due to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed hundreds of thousands into famine conditions.

A recent investigation by the US Department of State found all parties involved in the war responsible for war crimes. Crimes committed included attacks on unarmed civilians and the prevention of humanitarian supplies from reaching those in need. Furthermore, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the Ethiopian government of ethnic cleansing in the Tigray region. HRW compared the Tigrayan ethnic cleansing to the Darfur cleansing at the start of the century.

The removal of TPLF’s name from the terrorist list is seen as a positive step towards solidifying the peace process. However, numerous obstacles remain in the path to reconciliation.