https://allafrica.com/stories/202010300712.html
The federal government in Ethiopia and the regional government in Tigray are currently engaged in an intense dispute. In Tigray, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has historically been the dominant party, but in 2018 Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was elected. He adhered to the Prosperity Party, causing tensions between the two groups. When the House of Federation ruled to extend governmental terms as a result of COVID-19, Tigray said this was unconstitutional and disregarded orders to postpone elections. Ethiopian parliament then requested the region lose funding, which Tigray’s leaders responded to by saying this was once again unconstitutional, and may result in declaration of war. The situation is basically a huge mess because Tigray says the Ethiopian government is past their term and no longer has any authority, but they in return are threatening to withhold taxes from the region. Conflict between these sides could trigger further tensions and violence in the country and surrounding areas.
This situation could have disastrous effects if it isn’t handled correctly by the government at both the regional and federal level. If Ethiopia takes military action, it would likely lead to a war as Tigray has their own large military force. The smartest course of action would be to delay talks between the two sides in order to give them both time to cool off. The federal government’s threat to take away Tigray’s funding is specifically detrimental in these times with COVID-19, as funding is needed to provide medical care and support for citizens. It would make the most sense for federal authorities to hold off on cutting funding until have the opportunity to talk, because this measure could prove deadly to those living in the region, which is a humanitarian issue, not just a political one. The influence of international powers, such as the European Union and China, are necessary to get talks between the sides going peacefully and purposefully without intentions of violence.
This issue relates to what we’ve been talking in class through terminology and basic concepts. The European Union is a political IGO, which contributes to their role in this situation. Europe is historically connected to the country by Italy’s past occupation of Ethiopia, and recently through the EU’s peace deal with the country to maintain political and economic stability, which is why they want to continue to maintain this peace in the country in order to support their interests. Additionally, this situation can be analyzed at an individual level based on the actions of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, or at a state level by looking at the political differences in the country.