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Ethiopia

Workers operate sewing machines in a garment factory at the Hawassa Industrial Park in southern Ethiopia.
Workers operate sewing machines in a garment factory at the Hawassa Industrial Park in southern Ethiopia.

The Dark Side of Ethiopia’s Export Boom

Workers report sexual coercion and poor conditions at the Hawassa Industrial Park.

Dispatch |
Sophie Cousins
A World Food Programme convoy of trucks on their way to the Tigray region are seen near the village of Erebti, Ethiopia, on June 9.
A World Food Programme convoy of trucks on their way to the Tigray region are seen near the village of Erebti, Ethiopia, on June 9.

Africa Must Do Its Part to Break Ethiopia’s Abusive Tigray Siege

The Ethiopian government’s chokehold on humanitarian aid needs to end. 

Argument |
Kenneth Roth
A truck carrying grains to Tigray and belonging to the World Food Program burns out on a route almost 50 miles from Semera, Ethiopia, on June 10.
A truck carrying grains to Tigray and belonging to the World Food Program burns out on a route almost 50 miles from Semera, Ethiopia, on June 10.

Ethiopia’s Cease-Fire Collapses

After five months of relative calm, Tigray is once again under fire.

Africa Brief |
Nosmot Gbadamosi
Xue Bing, China’s special envoy to the Horn of Africa, and Ethiopian National Security Advisor Redwan Hussein attend the first Horn of Africa peace conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 20.
Xue Bing, China’s special envoy to the Horn of Africa, and Ethiopian National Security Advisor Redwan Hussein attend the first Horn of Africa peace conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 20.

What Does China Want in Ethiopia?

Beijing is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Horn of Africa as U.S. influence wanes.

Africa Brief |
Nosmot Gbadamosi
A man stands in a damaged mosque.
A man stands in a damaged mosque.

Christian Nationalism Is Tearing Ethiopia Apart

A religious revival rooted in the country’s imperial history has coincided with civil war and the spread of genocidal rhetoric—endangering a diverse and multifaith nation.

Argument |
Andrew DeCort
People fill water tanks in the Shabelle River in Gode, Ethiopia, on April 8.
People fill water tanks in the Shabelle River in Gode, Ethiopia, on April 8.

War in Ukraine Is Worsening East Africa’s Food Crisis

Rising wheat, fuel, and fertilizer costs amid a historic drought could lead to mass hunger and instability throughout the Horn of Africa.

Africa Brief |
Nosmot Gbadamosi
David Satterfield speaks in Iraq.
David Satterfield speaks in Iraq.

U.S. Envoy for East Africa to Call It Quits

David Satterfield is expected to leave his post after just a few months on the job, leaving a big vacuum at a bad time.

Exclusive |
Robbie Gramer, Colum Lynch
Children, who fled the violence in Ethiopia's, Tigray region, wait in line for breakfast organized by volunteers in Mekele, the capital of Tigray region, on June 23, 2021.
Children, who fled the violence in Ethiopia's, Tigray region, wait in line for breakfast organized by volunteers in Mekele, the capital of Tigray region, on June 23, 2021.

The World Must Condemn Human Rights Abuses in Tigray as It Does in Ukraine

International solidarity with Kyiv in the face of Russian aggression is admirable. Tigrayans brutalized by Ethiopia and Eritrea deserve the same.

Argument |
Getachew Reda
Demonstrators with Tigray flags and posters march on the National Mall in Washington, DC on November 4, 2021, marking the one-year anniversary of the Ethiopian government's decision to deploy troops into the country's northernmost Tigray region.
Demonstrators with Tigray flags and posters march on the National Mall in Washington, DC on November 4, 2021, marking the one-year anniversary of the Ethiopian government's decision to deploy troops into the country's northernmost Tigray region.

There Is a Path to Peace in Tigray

Ethiopia can end its civil war by upholding its constitution.

Argument |
Mehari Taddele Maru
Members of an Amhara militia gather in the village of Adi Arkay, northeast of Gondar, Ethiopia, on July 14, 2021.
Members of an Amhara militia gather in the village of Adi Arkay, northeast of Gondar, Ethiopia, on July 14, 2021.

Don’t Blame Amharas for Ethiopia’s War

Peace efforts must address the group’s legitimate fears rather than casting them as the main obstacle to reconciliation.

Argument |
Zelalem Moges
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed watches an inaugural parade.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed watches an inaugural parade.

How Abiy Ahmed Betrayed Oromia and Endangered Ethiopia

A former government official recounts how the prime minister’s failed reform agenda paved the way for war in Tigray.

Argument |
Milkessa M. Gemechu
A man covers himself with an Ethiopian flag during a rally in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 7, 2021.
A man covers himself with an Ethiopian flag during a rally in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 7, 2021.

Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Needs to Include Everyone

Excluding key Tigrayan and Oromo leaders will undermine the legitimacy of the process and make it harder to achieve peace.

Argument |
Awol Allo
A young South Sudanese soldier stands guard during a military parade at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba.
A young South Sudanese soldier stands guard during a military parade at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba.

The Lost Boys Weren’t Lost. They Were Stolen.

A new book details how South Sudan’s founders forcibly conscripted tens of thousands of children.

Review |
Colum Lynch
A Ukrainian serviceman fires at a drone.
A Ukrainian serviceman fires at a drone.

10 Conflicts to Watch in 2022

Battle deaths may be down, but regional wars continue to rage as great-power confrontations loom, from Ukraine to Taiwan, amid declining U.S. influence.

Feature |
Comfort Ero, Richard Atwood
People hold candles and Ethiopian flags during a memorial service for victims of the Tigray conflict in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 3.
People hold candles and Ethiopian flags during a memorial service for victims of the Tigray conflict in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 3.

What’s in Store for Africa in 2022

Ethiopia’s war and other conflicts in the Horn of Africa region will shape the coming year.

Africa Brief |
Nosmot Gbadamosi
Soldiers from the Ethiopian National Defense Force ride on a truck in Wichale, Ethiopia, on Dec. 13.
Soldiers from the Ethiopian National Defense Force ride on a truck in Wichale, Ethiopia, on Dec. 13.

To End Ethiopia’s War, Biden Needs to Correct Course

A one-sided U.S. approach provided political cover to the TPLF insurgency. Washington now has an opportunity to create the conditions for peace.

Argument |
Bronwyn Bruton, Ann Fitz-Gerald
Members of Ethiopia’s Republican March Band stand on guard.
Members of Ethiopia’s Republican March Band stand on guard.

How Ethiopia’s Conflict Deepened in 2021

After more than a year of fighting, is peace on the horizon—or does wider war loom?

5 Top Reads |
FP Editors
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