The large-scale war between the Ethiopian federal government and Tigray regional government forces ended in November 2022 with the signing of the Pretoria Agreement. The two sides agreed that the Tigrayan forces would disarm, and that foreign forces and other troops outside the federal army would withdraw from Tigray. They also agreed to restore constitutional order in Tigray and resolve disputes over contested areas in accordance with the constitution.
I study armed conflict, governance and political communication in Ethiopia. I recently analysed the Pretoria Agreement and its implementation. I examined official statements from Ethiopian, Eritrean and Tigrayan authorities, reports by international organisations and conflict monitors, and news reports published between November 2022 and June 2026. This enabled me to trace how disputes over disarmament, territory and political representation became connected to the rivalry between landlocked Ethiopia and Eritrea over access to the Red Sea.
