Why raging conflict in Ethiopia should worry East Africa states

A tank damaged in fighting between Ethiopian government and Tigray forces is pictured near the town of Humera, Ethiopia, March 3, 2021. [Reuters]

The ongoing conflict in Ethiopia continues to raise concerns in the region and beyond. Peace experts in the region are especially worried about how this conflict would impact the wider East African regional security in both long and short terms.

A combination of the civil conflict, an increased flow of refugees and ecological challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic, seem to present immediate and serious concerns for the region’s stability, as well as human rights concerns for those caught up in the middle of this growing crisis.