Ethiopia: Two Presidents, No Government - Why Tigray's War Is Coming Back

What the report says

In an analysis published by African Arguments and carried by AllAfrica, the political situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is described as increasingly unstable, with two rival figures both claiming authority in Mekelle, the regional capital. Lieutenant General Tadesse Worede is presented as the administrator backed by Addis Ababa, while Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), was elected by a regional council that reconvened in May. The article says the overlapping claims reflect a deeper crisis over legitimacy, governance and the aftermath of Tigray’s 2020-2022 war.

The report traces the dispute to the fallout from the federal government’s changes after 2018, Tigray’s defiant regional vote in 2020, and the war that followed between federal, regional and Eritrean forces. It notes that the 2022 Pretoria agreement ended large-scale fighting but left unresolved questions about administration, elections and the status of Tigray’s institutions. According to the piece, the region now has no broadly accepted governing framework, while federal authorities have frozen budget support and the regional administration lacks full legal recognition.

The article argues that the most immediate danger is internal conflict among Tigrayan factions, with armed men and competing chains of command increasing the risk of renewed violence. It also cites reports of forced recruitment, mass round-ups and legal penalties tied to mobilization efforts. As background, the report suggests that Tigray’s crisis matters beyond the region because control over administration, security forces and resources could shape wider instability in northern Ethiopia and affect relations with neighboring actors.