Ethiopia’s Ambitious Projects Mask Growing Threat of Regional Conflict and Instability

Ethiopia, under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has embraced a vision of grand development that reflects the aspirations of Africa’s second most populous nation. From the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to plans for Africa’s largest airport and nuclear power plant, the country seeks to leap forward economically. Yet beneath these ambitious projects lies a powder keg: escalating military tensions with Eritrea and persistent ethnic insurgencies that jeopardize not only Ethiopia’s fragile progress but also broader U.S. interests in East Africa.Can Ethiopia’s Quest for Red Sea Access Ignite Another Devastating War?The heart of Ethiopia’s latest regional tension centers...