12. Ethiopia-Eritrea Border War
After a brutal war from 1998 to 2000, a peace treaty was signed in 2018, but border disputes and the Tigray conflict highlight continuing tensions. The foundational dispute remains deeply rooted, with periodic violence. In 2018, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced full acceptance of the 2000 Algiers Agreement, leading to the restoration of diplomatic relations and the reopening of borders. (aljazeera.com) Despite these efforts, the Tigray conflict, which began in 2020, has involved Eritrean forces and has been marked by significant humanitarian concerns. In February 2026, tensions resurfaced as Ethiopian federal forces conducted drone strikes on Tigrayan positions and mobilized troops near the region, prompting calls for Eritrean troop withdrawal and an end to cooperation with Tigrayan rebels. These developments underscore the ongoing volatility in the region, with the foundational border dispute and the Tigray conflict continuing to fuel instability.
