The Tigray armed conflict: the state of play and dilemmas of international intervention

Friday 5 March 2021, 15.00-16.00
DIIS ∙ Danish Institute for International Studies
Online via Zoom 

On November 29, the Ethiopian government announced the end of its military offensive in Tigray. A day later, however, Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray regional state and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), told international media that fighting continued. The conflict is about 'self-determination' for Tigrayans, Gebremichael said, and 'will continue until the invaders are out'. Indeed, despite Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s declaration of victory, the deadly conflict in northern Ethiopia is still ongoing. UN reports reveal grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.

When a state fails to prevent or alleviate atrocities within its own territory, or if the state itself is the primary perpetrator of such acts, the intervention of external actors can play a decisive role. The deteriorating situation in Ethiopia, and particularly in the Northern region of Tigray, raises several complex, if well-known, dilemmas for the international community in that regard.

This webinar sets out to discuss the latest developments in Tigray as well as the international community’s options for intervention.

The presentation will take place on the background of the following report and op-ed:

• Could a National Dialogue Solve Ethiopia’s Political Crisis?
• Five reasons why un must intervene in Tigray, Ethiopia

Speakers
Mehari Taddele Maru, Part-time Professor, Migration Policy Center, European University Institute (EUI) and Academic Coordinator, Young African Leaders Programme, School of Transnational Governance
Fabrizio Tassinari, Executive Director and Berggruen Fellow, School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute (EUI)
Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke, Head of Research Unit and Senior Researcher, Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)

Programme
15:00-15:05     Welcome and introduction, Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke
15:05-15:25     State of plays and dilemmas of intervention, Mehari Taddele Maru
15:25-15:35     Discussion: the foreign policy dimension, Fabrizio Tassinari
15:35-16:00     Q&A

Practical information
The seminar will be in held English.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.