November 28, 2020
Mohamed Hassan: “There is no civil war in Ethiopia”
Interview conducted by: ÉGOIRE LALIEU / FRANS DE MAEGD, 21 November 2020
A conflict has ravaged the Tigray region in Ethiopia for several weeks. Some even speak of civil war. How did Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, end up at war? Who are those who challenge his power? What are the repercussions for the Horn of Africa? Former Ethiopian diplomat, Mohamed Hassan (The strategy of chaos – Jihad made in USA) explains the stakes of this conflict.
Two years ago, popular movements and a peaceful revolution ended the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) dictatorship in Ethiopia. A dictatorship that had ruled with an iron fist by Meles Zenawi for many years. In 2018, Abiy Ahmed was brought to power. The new Prime Minister recognized opposition parties and signed a historic peace deal with neighboring Eritrea. Abiy Ahmed even obtained the Nobel Peace Prize for these efforts. However, in recent weeks, fighting has pitted the FLPT forces against the national army. Some observers even speak of a civil war. How did Ethiopia, which seemed to have found peace after a turbulent history, once again sank into violence?
