The Ethiopian Civil War: The Challenges and Prospects for Peace

Introduction:

  • MOGES TESHOME, Project Assistant the IIP

Speaker: 

  • ADEM KASSIE ABEBE, Programme Officer at Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), The Hague (via ZOOM)

  • LIDET TADESSE SHIFERAW, Associate Director, Peaceful Societies and Accountable Governance, Maastricht (via ZOOM)

  • ABDULLAH YOUSEF, Lecturer of Political Science, and International Relations at University of Dundee, UK

Moderation:

  • STEPHANIE FENKART, Director of the IIP

Content:   

It has been more than eighteen months since the civil war in the northern part of Ethiopia started, with no clear end in sight. The war has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and deteriorated security in Ethiopia and beyond. The war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced much more, torn the social fabric of the people, exacerbated political polarization, compromised the territorial integrity of the country, and poses a direct threat to the peace and security of Horn of Africa, among others. Despite some efforts to halt the war and bring about peace through the AU-led mediation as reinforced by the support of international actors, the war had spread to the entire northern part of the country, with sporadic armed hostility still ongoing throughout the country.

On 24th of March 2022, a unilateral humanitarian truce was declared by the government, with a view to facilitating the desperately needed aids reach the Tigray region. Besides alleviating the pressing needs of the civilian population and victims of war, the humanitarian truce might be used as part of confidence building measures and paving the way for a comprehensive ceasefire. Nonetheless, as things stand now, the situation is very delicate, a rhetoric of renewed fighting is looming large, and the attention of the international community seems to have been deflected mainly owing to the war in Ukraine. Broadly speaking, unless the war comes to an end and the underlying political crisis is addressed, the very future of the country hangs in the balance and the protracted civil war will have a grave consequence for security of the Horn of Africa and beyond.

It is in this context and with the aim of shedding some light on the recent developments of the war as well as bringing the humanitarian crisis to light that this webinar is organized. More particularly, the major challenges to and windows of opportunity to ensure sustainable peace will be discussed by three experts on crosscutting issues.