War and Water in the Horn of Africa

Pulitzer Center grantees Ann Neumann and Fredrick Mugira discuss war and water in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia erupted into civil war in 2020, with the Ethiopian and Eritrean federal forces against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had previously won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for declaring peace with Eritrea; now the two countries have joined forces against a common rival. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and an estimated 13 million require humanitarian aid. The parties reached a cease-fire in November 2022, but tensions remain high and the Tigray region isolated. Meanwhile, East African leaders are also preoccupied with another pressing issue: water. In the Nile Basin region, despite access to one of the world’s largest rivers, much of the population in the lower- and middle basin live in areas of water scarcity and drought. The Nile is crucial to the health, economy, and cultures of 11 African countries, but land grabs and agribusiness investments threaten its accessibility. In Ethiopia, Abiy’s proposed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is an attempt to modernize the country, but it also jeopardizes diplomatic relations for the entire region. Neumann and Mugira will discuss their reporting on conflict and environmental systems in the Horn. What caused Ethiopia, previously the United States’ trusted ally in East Africa, to go to war with itself? Why is the Nile River Basin in danger? And how will the region grapple with these internal struggles? Pulitzer Center Senior Editor Tom Hundley moderated the conversation and audience Q&A, and Digital Production Assistant Grace Jensen introduced the speakers.