Ethiopian Airlines Resume Flights to Tigray

    Photo: via DW

    The Facts

    • Ethiopian Airlines on Wednesday resumed flights to the Tigray region, as relations between the war-torn region and the Ethiopian federal government begin to normalize.

    • This comes as Ethiopian leaders visited the region on Monday after signing a peace agreement in November to end the conflict in Tigray, which lasted for two years, as humanitarian aid and Ethiopian utilities return to the region in exchange for the disarmament of Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).


    The Spin

    Pro-establishment narrative

    The bloody conflict in Tigray is finally coming to an end, as both sides are showing a real commitment to a lasting peace in the region. While Eritrean forces remain a sticking point, each side has indicated that they will be upholding their ends of the bargain: Tigray will decommission their weapons, and Ethiopia will allow aid and utilities to return to the area. The return of Ethiopian Airlines is another good faith showing of trust in the peace process — there is now real promise of an end to this conflict.

    Establishment-critical narrative

    Ethiopia is trying to impose a "victor's peace" on the people of Tigray — their lackadaisical attitude towards foreign forces in the region are indicative of this, and only increase the risk of an outbreak of violence. Ethiopian Airlines has been accused of violating international law by providing logistical support to the Ethiopian military, and there is no chance of a fair and transparent peace process if Ethiopia does not properly address their misconduct during the war and peace process.

    Nerd narrative

    There's a 51% chance that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will experience a significant leadership disruption before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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