In 2022, the Pretoria Agreement ended a brutal civil war between the federal government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Today, the hopes of lasting peace and justice have vanished. Relations between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and the TPLF have once again soured, with many fearing renewed hostilities.

And relations with neighbouring Eritrea, a nation that fought alongside Ethiopia against the TPLF, have deteriorated, and the countries teeter on the brink of war.

Getachew Reda was a leading political figure in Tigray, as a spokesperson for the TPLF during the civil war and interim president of Tigray.

After a public falling out, he claimed there was deep-seated corruption among the TPLF leadership and joined his once arch-nemesis, Abiy.

Mehdi Hasan goes head-to-head with Getachew Reda, adviser to Ethiopia’s prime minister, on his new alliance with Abiy, and asks whether Ethiopia and Eritrea are headed for war.

Joining the discussion are:
Tsedale Lemma — Editor, The Addis Standard newspaper
Kjetil Tronvoll — Professor of peace and conflict studies, Oslo New University College
Bisrat Lemessa — Founder, Nexus Forum for Research and Dialogue