Tigray war

[yaman]

Ethiopia’s Tigray region faces divisions and dilemmas

New policy brief released by Oxford Analytica on Nov 1, 2023 looks into the implication of division of political leaders in Tigray on the future of the poltiics of the region.

[The divisions and dilemmas] come amid escalating turbulence in Tigray’s internal political dynamics, and worsening armed conflict between Amhara rebels and the federal army.

Impacts

• Internal dynamics in Tigray and wider national troubles will likely delay elections to re-establish a post-transition Tigray government.

• The regional administration’s interim status gives Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed leverage, as he has power to remove or reappoint it.

• Internal divisions reduce Tigrayan leverage over Abiy, which has already dwindled amid an apparent softening of Western pressure.

[yaman]

Tyler Beckelman, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on Tuesday, delivered a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, providing insights into the current state of U.S. policy towards Ethiopia.

He highlighted the extensive development partnership between USAID and Ethiopia, noting significant progress in living conditions over the past two decades. From 2000 to 2020, Ethiopia experienced a remarkable decline in its poverty rate, an increase in life expectancy, a substantial reduction in maternal and child mortality, expanded primary school enrollment, and improved access to safe water. However, these gains were marred by the devastating two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia, resulting in widespread suffering and displacement.

The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) brought relief to the Tigray region. Yet, Beckelman pointed out that several aspects of the agreement, such as disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration, remained unfulfilled. He stressed the imperative for Ethiopia to confront its violent past and engage in peaceful dialogue to prevent future conflicts.

[gebetaforum]

!	Message from: gebetaforum
	Famine Alert in Northern Ethiopia; Government Denies Crisis Fifteen months after a peace deal ended the Tigray war in northern Ethiopia, the region faces another major challenge: widespread malnutrition and hunger. “It is reminiscent of 1984,” warn local authorities. Full story here.