In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Michael Woldemariam, associate professor at the University of Maryland, to discuss the conflict in northern Ethiopia and whether it could escalate into a wider war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. They examine the calculations behind the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s latest offensive against the federal government, its new alliance with other opposition groups, how Tigrayans view the renewed fighting and where the conflict might be headed. They also explore Eritrea’s alignment with its former rival, the TPLF, and Addis Ababa’s response to reports of Eritrean cross-border incursions. They consider how a wider war might unfold and what role Middle Eastern powers with interests in the region could play. Finally, they unpack the obstacles to diplomacy and what a path out of the conflict might look like.
For more, read our latest alert Pulling Ethiopia and Eritrea Back from War, our Hold Your Fire episode How Close Are Ethiopia and Eritrea to All-out War?, the last episode with Michael, The Ethiopia-Eritrea Standoff and our Horn of Africa page.
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