Pretoria, South Africa - After almost two years of war, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have agreed to an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

The African Union (AU) mediator, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, announced the breakthrough on Wednesday after negotiations in South Africa.

The deal was signed in front of cameras in the South African capital Pretoria.

"We have agreed to permanently silence the guns," the agreement between the two warring sides said.

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"The conflict has brought a tragic degree of loss of lives and livelihoods and it is in the interest of the entire people of Ethiopia to leave this chapter of conflict behind and live in peace and harmony."

There would be, the deal said, "a framework for the settlement of political differences."

The African Union negotiators said they were please that the talks had reached a "successful conclusion."

"The agreement marks an important step in efforts to silence the guns, and provides a solid foundation for the preservation of Ethiopia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the immediate cessation of hostilities, the resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of services as well as healing and reconciliation," they said.

Since November 2020, the central government in Ethiopia has been engaged in heavy fighting with the rebellious TPLF. President Biden had initially called for a ceasefire in May 2021.

The conflict has torn Africa's second-most populous country apart and caused a dire humanitarian situation in the country's north. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 5 million people in Tigray are now dependent on humanitarian aid.

Fighting between the warring sides flared up again in August, but they agreed to peace talks mediated by the African Union.